92501
Is Psychology A Science?
- FOR
- SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS DESIRABLE
- We can continuously make
assumptions about how corn may
reduce the risk of amnesia, or how
being a woman may increase
intelligence, but there is no way to
properly prove these statements
without the use of empirically
correct, scientific evidence.
- For this reason, Wilelm Wundt and a
group of psychologists aimed to create
a scientific psychology in the 19th
century, so that Psychological claims
could provide proof when it was
demanded.
- Wundt aimed to make the study of mental processes more systematic using introspection
(the proccess of examining ones own thoughts and feelings). He trained psychology
students to make objective observations about their thought processes, and used the results
to develop a theory of concious thought.
- Wundt aimed to make the study of mental processes more systematic using introspection
(the proccess of examining ones own thoughts and feelings). He trained psychology
students to make objective observations about their thought processes, and used the results
to develop a theory of concious thought.
- For this reason, Wilelm Wundt and a
group of psychologists aimed to create
a scientific psychology in the 19th
century, so that Psychological claims
could provide proof when it was
demanded.
- We can continuously make
assumptions about how corn may
reduce the risk of amnesia, or how
being a woman may increase
intelligence, but there is no way to
properly prove these statements
without the use of empirically
correct, scientific evidence.
- PSYCHOLOGY SHARES THE
SAME GOALS AS SCIENCE
- Psychology is a science in the
respect that it shares all the same
goals as regular sciences do and
uses the scientific method.
Psychologists generate models that
can be widely falsified by other
psychologists through well conducted
experimentation, to provide
confounding evidence and secure
knowledge.
- HOWEVER
- Just because psychology uses the
scientific method, this does not make it
entirely scientific. Miller (1983) challenged
psychologists use of the scientific method,
by stating that psychologists were only
"dressing up" by using the tools of science
(quantified measurements, statistical
analysis etc.), and not actually studying the
true essence of science. Miller stated that
psychology would be better suited as a
pseudoscience, however this is dangerous,
as psychologists can claim some things as
fact even though they aren't neccessarily
true.
- Just because psychology uses the
scientific method, this does not make it
entirely scientific. Miller (1983) challenged
psychologists use of the scientific method,
by stating that psychologists were only
"dressing up" by using the tools of science
(quantified measurements, statistical
analysis etc.), and not actually studying the
true essence of science. Miller stated that
psychology would be better suited as a
pseudoscience, however this is dangerous,
as psychologists can claim some things as
fact even though they aren't neccessarily
true.
- HOWEVER
- Psychology is a science in the
respect that it shares all the same
goals as regular sciences do and
uses the scientific method.
Psychologists generate models that
can be widely falsified by other
psychologists through well conducted
experimentation, to provide
confounding evidence and secure
knowledge.
- AT LEAST SOME
LEVELS OF
PSYCHOLOGY ARE
SCIENTIFIC
- The concept of levels comes
from the reductionist
approach to psychology
(complex phenomena can
best be explained in terms of
a simpler level of
explanation).
- This point argues that the lower
levels of psychology are more
scientific, as they focus on basic
behavioural and genetic
approaches, whereas the higher
levels are seen to be less scientifi,
with more of a focus on social and
psychological explanations of
behaviour.
- For example, the lower levels of
psychology may explain signing your name
as a series of electrical impulses that force
your hand to move, however the higher,
less scientific levels, may explain signing
your name as an agreement on a social
level.
- HOWEVER
- If the lower levels of psychology are taken in
isolation because they are scientific, then other
true meanings of certain behaviours may be
missed. For example, R.D. Laing's argument
against the biological approach to schiziphrenia
shows how the higher levels of psychology can
often be forgotten. Laing argued that
schizophrenia should not only be treated as a
series of biological processes gone wrong, but
should also take into account home life, and
previous experiences.
- If the lower levels of psychology are taken in
isolation because they are scientific, then other
true meanings of certain behaviours may be
missed. For example, R.D. Laing's argument
against the biological approach to schiziphrenia
shows how the higher levels of psychology can
often be forgotten. Laing argued that
schizophrenia should not only be treated as a
series of biological processes gone wrong, but
should also take into account home life, and
previous experiences.
- LEVELS
- PSYCHOLOGICAL
- SOCIAL
- PSYCHODYNAMIC
- COGNITIVE
- EVOLUTIONARY
- BEHAVIOURIST
- GENETIC
- MOST SCIENTIFIC
- MOST SCIENTIFIC
- GENETIC
- BEHAVIOURIST
- EVOLUTIONARY
- COGNITIVE
- PSYCHODYNAMIC
- SOCIAL
- LEAST SCIENTIFIC
- PSYCHOLOGICAL
- For example, the lower levels of
psychology may explain signing your name
as a series of electrical impulses that force
your hand to move, however the higher,
less scientific levels, may explain signing
your name as an agreement on a social
level.
- This point argues that the lower
levels of psychology are more
scientific, as they focus on basic
behavioural and genetic
approaches, whereas the higher
levels are seen to be less scientifi,
with more of a focus on social and
psychological explanations of
behaviour.
- The concept of levels comes
from the reductionist
approach to psychology
(complex phenomena can
best be explained in terms of
a simpler level of
explanation).
- SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS DESIRABLE
- AGAINST
- PSYCHOLOGY HAS NO PARADIGM
- Thomas Kuhn (1962) in his
book "The Structure of Scientific
Revolutions" stated that
psychology has no paradigm (a
shared set of assumptions).
- Hard sciences all
have a single
paradigm, and
unified by this
paradigm. For
example, biology
assumes that
every single
behaviour is the
result of an
internal chemical
process.
- Psychology has a number of
paradigms, as opposed to only
one, and for this reason Kuhn
proposed that Psychology is a
"pre-science".
- Psychological
- Behaviourist
- Cognitive
- Cognitive
- Behaviourist
- Biological
- Evolutionary
- Psychodynamic
- Psychodynamic
- Evolutionary
- For this reason, Psychology may be
considered dangerous as a science,
as it can make assumptions about
behaviour using one paradigm, while
ignoring all other paradigms.
- HOWEVER
- It may be that psychology is yet
to identify it's paradigm and that
it is truly a pre-science, and even
though psychology may only be a
pre-science, this should not
detract from it's use of the
scientific method.
- It may be that psychology is yet
to identify it's paradigm and that
it is truly a pre-science, and even
though psychology may only be a
pre-science, this should not
detract from it's use of the
scientific method.
- HOWEVER
- MORE ON THOMAS KUHN
- Thomas Kuhn's ideas on the revolutions
of scientific paradigms created a whole
new insight into how sciences work. Kuhn
proposed that all times there is a
"pre-science" and a "normal science".
- "Normal Sciences" hold
the opinions that are most
widely accepted by the
scientific community, and
aim to disprove theories put
forward by "pre-sciences".
- "Pre-Sciences" hold opinions that
are unpopular and controversial,
and aim to put forward theories
that may expand or revolutionise
the ideas put forward by "Normal
Sciences".
- Once a "Normal Science" fails to disprove a theory put forward by a
"Pre-Science" a paradigm shift occurs and the "Pre-Science"
becomes the "Normal Science".
- Once a "Normal Science" fails to disprove a theory put forward by a
"Pre-Science" a paradigm shift occurs and the "Pre-Science"
becomes the "Normal Science".
- "Normal Sciences" hold
the opinions that are most
widely accepted by the
scientific community, and
aim to disprove theories put
forward by "pre-sciences".
- Thomas Kuhn's ideas on the revolutions
of scientific paradigms created a whole
new insight into how sciences work. Kuhn
proposed that all times there is a
"pre-science" and a "normal science".
- Psychological
- Hard sciences all
have a single
paradigm, and
unified by this
paradigm. For
example, biology
assumes that
every single
behaviour is the
result of an
internal chemical
process.
- Thomas Kuhn (1962) in his
book "The Structure of Scientific
Revolutions" stated that
psychology has no paradigm (a
shared set of assumptions).
- LACKS OBJECTIVITY AND CONTROL
- Some psychologists argue that human behaviour can be measured
as easily as the measurement of physical objects, but is this
entirely true? In most cases we see the manipulation of human
behaviour so it can become measurable, which leads to several
validity issues such as investigator effects and demand
characteristics.
- HOWEVER
- Heisenberg (1927)
argued that even
hard sciences have
to manipulate
aspects of
experimentation for
them to be truly
measurable. He
stated that even a
sub-atomic particle
had to be
manipulated in order
for it to be
measured.
- Heisenberg (1927)
argued that even
hard sciences have
to manipulate
aspects of
experimentation for
them to be truly
measurable. He
stated that even a
sub-atomic particle
had to be
manipulated in order
for it to be
measured.
- HOWEVER
- Some psychologists argue that human behaviour can be measured
as easily as the measurement of physical objects, but is this
entirely true? In most cases we see the manipulation of human
behaviour so it can become measurable, which leads to several
validity issues such as investigator effects and demand
characteristics.
- ARE THE GOALS
OF SCIENCE
APPROPRIATE
FOR
PSYCHOLOGY?
- Maybe the objectivity and control
presented in the scientific method
are not entirely appropriate for
psychology. For example, the
psychologist R.D. Laing in his talks
about schizophrenia discusses the
effectiveness of the scientific
method, as in most cases
behavioural and environmental
attributions are ignored.
- As well as this, science often aims to
generalise to the general population, so
that treatments can become widespread
and effectiveness can be improved, but as
is shown in psychology, through the study
of case studies and the individuality of
mental illness, all patients are individually
different. This case was again argued by
R.D. Laing, to take a more idiographic
approach to the treatment of
schizophrenia.
- QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
- Some Psychologists advocate the use of qualitative research methods, as they are more humanly significant than statistically significant quantitative methods. These methods
however are still scientific, in that the results from various qualitative experiments can be compared against eachother in rich detail to provide systematic, valid observations. This is
called triangulation.
- Some Psychologists advocate the use of qualitative research methods, as they are more humanly significant than statistically significant quantitative methods. These methods
however are still scientific, in that the results from various qualitative experiments can be compared against eachother in rich detail to provide systematic, valid observations. This is
called triangulation.
- QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
- As well as this, science often aims to
generalise to the general population, so
that treatments can become widespread
and effectiveness can be improved, but as
is shown in psychology, through the study
of case studies and the individuality of
mental illness, all patients are individually
different. This case was again argued by
R.D. Laing, to take a more idiographic
approach to the treatment of
schizophrenia.
- Maybe the objectivity and control
presented in the scientific method
are not entirely appropriate for
psychology. For example, the
psychologist R.D. Laing in his talks
about schizophrenia discusses the
effectiveness of the scientific
method, as in most cases
behavioural and environmental
attributions are ignored.
- PSYCHOLOGY HAS NO PARADIGM
- WHAT IS SCIENCE?
- Science is defined as "a
branch of knowledge on
objective principles involving
the systemised observation
of and experiments with
phenomena".
- Science aims to gain
knowledge by being
objective and
systematic in it's
experimentation, to
discover information
that can help predict
and control the natural
world.
- Science aims to gain
knowledge by being
objective and
systematic in it's
experimentation, to
discover information
that can help predict
and control the natural
world.
- Science is defined as "a
branch of knowledge on
objective principles involving
the systemised observation
of and experiments with
phenomena".
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