Is Psychology a Science?
Psychology and Science
First have to ask what is a science?
What science does:
Psyc 4703: Experimental Psychology
The scientific approach
Science is Objective
Measurements are not affected by personal
bias
Measurements are well-defined and specified
Example: Do we respond more positively to
people who are attractive?
What do we mean by attractive?
The definition must be consistent, clear, and
understandable.
Testable
Discovers and documents phenomena, patterns, and
relationships
Construct and evaluate explanations of the phenomena,
i.e. develop and test theories
Objective
Testable
Public
Science is Objective
Some studies based attractiveness on the
desirability of the person’s clothing (Juhnke et
al., 1987)
Another study used good vs. bad teeth (Bull
& Stevens, 1980)
Stokes & Bikman (1974) – defined
attractiveness based on physical appearance
as rated by other people
Flying Spaghetti Monster
Theories must be testable and thus falsifiable
– possible of being proven wrong!
Scientists learn from mistakes
Statements that are not easily testable:
Vague statements: e.g. horoscopes
After-the-fact explanations, e.g. 9/11
Avoid by using good operational definitions
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Is this research hypothesis falsifiable?
Example 1: Interpreting studies on ESP
Example 2: Is this treatment effective?
Public
Sciences produces and relies on publicly
shared knowledge.
Studies must be replicable (i.e. repeatable)
2 reasons sciences needs to be public:
Ensures that what scientists are studying is real
and observable (e.g. Raelians and cloned baby)
Replication makes science self-correcting
Characteristics of Pseudoscience
Fail to generate testable hypotheses or to
conduct objective tests of theory. Field is
resistant to change. Few tests of previous
claims
Based on dogma and uncritical belief; May be
hostility in face of disagreement
Suppression or distortion of unfavorable data;
selective use of data, e.g. only looking for
supportive information
Asking Testable Questions
Which of the following questions can be
tested scientifically?
Can these questions be rewritten to make
them more precise (and testable)?
Science vs. Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience: a domain of inquiry that has
the superficial appearance of being scientific
but which does not really rely on the critical
scientific principles of objectivity, empiricism,
and being public.
E.g. ESP – nationwide survey by National
Science Board (2002) found that 60% of
people believed in ESP.
Characteristics of Pseudoscience
Many ideas are not amenable to scientific
evaluation; ideas are subjective and can’t be
tested objectively.
Acceptant questionable data as proof; lack of
evidence is taken to support that a claim
could be true
Personal anecdotes and events that cannot
be tested are used to provide evidence:
reliance on “psuedo-experts”
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Characteristics of Pseudoscience
Involves terms that sound like scientific ideas,
but the terms are not clearly defined; often
the ideas violate known scientific principles
Involves looking for mysteries that have
occurred rather than trying to generate and
test explanations for the phenomena in
general.
Reply
Few rules apply to every situation
Is milk good for everyone?
Are leaves always green?
Objection
Psychology is not a science because rules of
behavior do not apply for everyone.
Reply: Few rules apply to everyone or every
situation.
Objection
Psychology is not a science because
psychologists cannot perfectly predict
human behavior.
Reply: Few sciences can perfectly
predict real life behavior .
Objection
Objection
Psychology can't be a science because we
can't observe thoughts.
Reply #1: Science often studies invisible
forces.
Reply #2: Psychological research produces
reliable results.
Psychology shouldn’t be a science because
there are other, better ways of knowing.
Reply: Let’s compare and see!
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Comparing science to other ways of
knowing
Logic
Authority
Popularity
Experience
Intuition
Faith
Can you use logic to explain why
Making excuses for poor performance is
not psychologically healthy?
Can you use logic to explain why
Physically attractive people have higher
self-esteem than less attractive people?
Advantages of Logic
Scientists use logic to make sense of facts.
Can you use logic to explain why
During World War II, men from rural
backgrounds were usually in better
spirits during their army life than
soldiers from city backgrounds?
Can you use logic to explain why
People with mental problems are better
off in a mental hospital?
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Can you use logic to explain why
A five-year program for at risk youth, in
which “big brothers” visited the youth
twice a week, giving them academic
and family support, was effective in
reducing delinquency?
Can you use logic to explain why
The more counseling an alcoholic
receives, the better?
Can you use logic to explain why
College women who are very serious
about their careers are less likely to be
interested in marriage?
Can you use logic to explain why
Experienced therapists are more
successful than inexperienced
therapists?
Can you use logic to explain why
Trained observers, such as police
officers, are more accurate
eyewitnesses than untrained people?
Can you use logic to explain why
If you use imagery to remember
something, the more bizarre your
image, the better you will remember it?
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Important Note:
All the previous statements were false!
Problems with Relying on Logic
The Advantages of Authority
Much of what we know is what we have
learned from authorities.
Logic alone can lead to errors (as you
just saw).
Bees do not collect honey from the sky
as Aristotle believed
Reality may seem illogical.
TRUE OR FALSE
Two problems with authority
All the previous statements were false.
Which authority do you believe?
George Washington chopped down a
cherry tree.
Betsy Ross stitched the first American
flag.
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin.
Popularity: Social Proof
We learn from others. If everyone
believes it, it must be true. Right?
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True or False?
“If 1,000 people say a foolish thing,
it is still a foolish thing.”-- Ancient
Chinese saying
Is experience a good teacher?
True or False?
Conclusions about True/False Test
All were false, but all are things that
some people think they learned from
experience.
Tomatoes are poisonous.
The earth is flat.
Phrenology is accurate.
Astrology is accurate.
Those who threaten suicide rarely commit
suicide.
Punishment is the most effective way to
reinforce the learning of new habits.
Chocolate causes acne.
The sun revolves around the earth.
Women can’t do men’s work.
Switching answers on a multiple-choice
test usually involves changing a right
answer to a wrong answer.
Problems with experience
Biases*
Atypical experiences*
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Because of our biases, we may
“See” what we expect to see
Remember facts consistent with our
biases
Our experience may not be typical
Problems with Intuition
“Even a stopped clock is right twice a
day.”
Every therapy has its success stories.
Lottery winners.
Faith
Intuitions may be wishes, rather than
fact.
How do intuitions differ from opinions?
How do we deal with conflicting
intuitions?
Problems result when faiths conflict.
Useful for answering questions that
science can’t*
Nonscientific reasons to believe a
claim
Spiritual Realm
Science
“Expert says”
“Everyone thinks so”
“It sounds right to me”
“This example proves it!”
“That’s what my gut tells me.”
Physical Realm
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Lessons to Learn
What’s modern, fashionable, or done
elsewhere may still be wrong.
Scientists want evidence that treatments
work.
Using gadgets doesn’t make it scientific.
Examples of “successful cases” don’t
prove that a treatment works.
Nonscientific approaches have led to
errors and pain!
Conclusions about psychology and
science
Rorschach tests
Polygraph tests
Lobotomies
Procedures used by 25% of therapists!
Psychology is a science
Nonscientific approaches have led
to errors and pain*
Concluding Quote
“A cautious, skeptical attitude is
the hallmark of good science
and caring practice.”
--Carole Tavris
The End!
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