Debates Psychology as science

Definitions: Science literally means knowledge which is based on factual evidence.

Scientific method involves 1. setting up an alternative hypothesis, 2. operationalising the IV and DV (so the study could be repeated for reliability), 3. collecting quantitative data under controlled conditions, 4. objectively analysing the data in the light of the hypothesis, 5. accepting or rejecting the alternative hypothesis, 6. establishing a general law/theory which can be falsified.

Varieties of science: Most scientific. PhysicsChemistryAnatomy.Geology.Psychology.Sociology.Least scientific

Assumptions of the approach Arguments for each side/supporting evidence 1. Behaviourist theory of operant conditioning This theory, which assumes that behaviour is learned through reinforcement, also assumes that behaviour is best studied using scientific methods. Only directly observable behaviour is measured and the theory does not take account of nonobservable factors such as the unconscious. Animals are used in behaviourist experiments, which means all variables can be controlled, making the work even more scientific. All variables in Skinners rat boxes were controlled (e.g. light, temperature etc) so the IV could be manipulated (how often the food appeared) and the effect this had on the DV (lever pressing) could be measured. His research was objective, quantitative and reliable, and therefore predictions about behaviour could be made. This suggests that Psychology can be a science. 2. Genetic theory of the development of intelligence 4. Reliability is more important than validity e.g. Banduras bobo doll experiment can be repeated easily and will produce consistent results This theory assumes that IQ is genetic, Carefully controlled scientific experiments have enabled researchers to test this idea. Experimental groups of pps with high IQs have been compared to control groups with average IQs to see if there were any significant differences. Plomin compared blood samples of super bright pps with the blood of average pps. He found more of the super brights had the gene IGF2R than the average pps (IV = IGF2R or not, DV = IQ). This work supports the genetic argument and is scientific, tightly controlled, objective and reliable. This again suggests that Psychology can be a science. Problems related to the science debate Conclusions to the science debate

a scienceshould be,y is, andPsycholog

This view assumes that: 1. It is appropriate to use scientific methods to study human behaviour. e.g. Pavlovs results were quantitative (ie. mls of saliva) 2. Psychologists should not allow personal values to affect their research. e.g. control of the bell (CS) made Pavlovs work objective 3. It is not appropriate to take account of unobservable behaviour such as feelings etc. as they cannot be seen directly e.g. Skinner was not interested in the rats feelings only in their lever pressing

1. Problem of whether science is really scientific If it can be shown that science itself is not really scientific then the question of whether psychology is a science or not is irrelevant. Kuhn believes that scientists do not always work in the way that they suggest and that sometimes their work is not as objective as they claim. e.g. scientists are human beings who inevitably bring their own personal ideologies into the lab. Sometimes they disregard evidence that goes against their theory and they select evidence that supports it. Their research may also be affected by their funding and career plans. This suggests that if there is a question over how scientific science is itself, the question as to whether psychology is scientific or not, is a red herring. 2. Problem of a lack of one dominant paradigm/theory in psychology. Kuhn suggests that one characteristic of a science is that it has just one dominant paradigm or theory (e.g. the theory of relativity in physics). The problem that psychology has is that there are many competing paradigms, e.g. behaviourism, psychodynamic theory etc. According to this argument psychology can only be classified as a pre-

Despite Kuhns reservations many people feel that psychology is, and should be, a science. They feel that it qualifies as a science because many psychological investigations are carried out using scientific methods. Even when research techniques such as observations or questionnaires are used (rather than a lab experiment) objectivity, control and reliability can still be obtained. However, humanistic psychologists such as Carl Rogers feel that this is not the route that psychology should be striving to achieve. By becoming more scientific he argues that the humanity in any given situation (such as mental disorder) will not be teased out. Subjective and non-scientific methods may be more

sciencePsychology is not, and should not be, a

This view assumes that: 1. Less scientific method are more appropriate when studying humans. e.g. depression should be studied using interviews and observations etc. 2. It is not possible for one human to study another in an objective, value-free way. e.g. psychiatrists are more likely to label black people as mentally ill because of social distance. 3. It is not possible to directly observe and operationalise behaviour. e.g. one cannot directly see the emotions and feelings of anorexics. 4. Less scientific methods can draw out emotions which are an essential part of human behaviour that should not be ignored. e.g. Harts autobiographical case study reveals the emotional side of schizophrenia. 5. Validity is more important than reliability.

3. Labelling theory of schizophrenia This theory assumes that schizophrenia is best studied and explained using non-scientific methods. This is because labelling theorists do not see the disorder as caused by biological factors. According to this view whether a person is diagnosed with schizophrenia or not is a result of subjective factors, not objective factors. This means that schizophrenia is a social construction. The social distance between psychiatrists and patients makes it likely that the label schizophrenic will tend to be slapped on working class or black people rather than middle class or white people. This suggests that this approach to schizophrenia is unscientific and hence it supports the view that psychology is not, and should not be, a science.

science. It can only be a true science if it follows one dominant paradigm. This suggests that psychology is not yet, and may never be, a true science. 3. Problems of experimenter bias and demand characteristics. Psychological research involves human beings studying other human beings, which gives rise to experimenter bias. e.g. two psychologists could approach the same topic from two entirely different angles and both find results to support their differing hypotheses by virtue of the different angles their studies were designed to investigate. Equally pps want to please researchers and are sometimes able to guess what the hypothesis is. This leads them to behave in a particular way, which may not be their natural behaviour. This suggests that psychological research is a social situation that is influenced by bias, so it is not scientific.

appropriate as they produce higher validity. Perhaps the answer here is methodological pluralism (ie. triangulation), where a range of methods are used and the results are combined. This way, the findings of research could be high on both reliability and validity.