1. G544:DEBATES IS PSYCHOLOGY A SCIENCE?

2. What is Science?
1. What do you consider are the criteria for a science? 2. What sciences are there? 3. Do they meet your criteria?

3. Scientific method
Science is: the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. According to modern definitions, science has the following features (Eysenck and Keane 1990)
Controlled observations: in most sciences it is typical for experiments to involve observing the effects of some specific manipulation.
Objectivity: even if total objectivity is impossible, it is still important for data to be collected in a way as close as objective as possible
Testing theoretical predictions: scientific experiments are generally carried out to test the prediction of some theory.
Falsifiability: the notion that scientific theories can potentially be disproved by evidence.
5. Replicability: the findings obtained by researchers need to be replicable or repeatable; it would be hard (or impossible) to base a science in inconsistent findings.
6. Paradigm: there is a generally accepted theoretic orientation within a science e.g. the theory of relativity in physics

4. 1. Controlled Observations: In most sciences it is typical for experiments to involve observing the effects of some specific manipulation. AS A2
Supports
Refutes

5. 2. Objectivity: even if total objectivity is impossible, it is still important for data to be collected in a way as close as objective as possible
What will make a study more objective?
Think about methods: AS A2
Supports
Refutes

6. 3. Testing theoretical predictions: scientific experiments are generally carried out to test the prediction of some theory.
What does this involve?

7. 4.Falsifiability: the notion that scientific theories can potentially be disproved by evidence.
Hypothesis needs to be testable to be falsifiable and needs to be falsifiable to establish cause and effect. In science and psychology experiments, and in particular laboratory experiments, can be seen to be falsifiable. AS A2
Supports
Refutes

8. Which studies have we covered which are highly replicable and why?
5. Replicability: the findings obtained by researchers need to be replicable or repeatable; it would be hard (or impossible) to base a science in inconsistent findings.
Which studies have we covered which are highly replicable and why? AS A2
Supports
Refutes

9. Kuhn’s Paradigm.
Paradigm = An example serving as a model or pattern; Kuhn said
‘a general theoretical orientation’ (a set of attitudes and beliefs),
that is accepted by most scientists in a given discipline (e.g. physics).
As knowledge advances a paradigm becomes less adequate and is replaced by another. Newton to Einstein E=MC2

10. Kuhn (1970)
3 stages in the development of any science;
1.Pre-science –no generally accepted paradigm and a wide range of opinion about the best theories.(no shared set of common beliefs).
2.Normal science- a generally accepted paradigm. It influences the type of experiments carried out and how the findings are explained-Newtonian mechanics as used by physicists prior to relativity
3.Revolutionary science- a paradigm shift where evidence against the old paradigm goes beyond a certain point and is replaced by a new one

11. 6. Paradigms: Psychology and the ‘pre-paradigm state’
Thomas Kuhn's 1962 critique implied psychology overall was in a pre-paradigm state, lacking the agreement on overarching theory found in mature sciences such as chemistry and physics.
What elements of psychology do you thinks support Kuhn’s beliefs? Do any refute them?
Have things changed since then?
Is there anything unifying psychology?
What are the assumptions of the different approaches? – does this support Kuhn’s ideas or not?
Are there any approaches or theories which stick out?

12. SUMMARY OF DEBATE
Eysenck and Keane’s (1990) Criteria:
Does psychology meet the following criteria?
Controlled observations: in most sciences it is typical for experiments to involve observing the effects of some specific manipulation.
Objectivity: even if total objectivity is impossible, it is still important for data to be collected in a way as close as objective as possible
Testing theoretical predictions: scientific experiments are generally carried out to test the prediction of some theory.
Falsifiability: the notion that scientific theories can potentially be disproved by evidence.
Paradigm: there is a generally accepted theoretic orientation within a science e.g. the theory of relativity in physics
Replicability: the findings obtained by researchers need to be replicable or repeatable; it would be hard (or impossible) to base a science in inconsistent findings

13. Arguments in favour
Controlled observations & the testing of theoretical predictions.
Some psychological theories are falsifiable (Popper) having been disproved by experimental studies.
Others have been replicated successfully.
However some can’t be (e.g. Freud).

14. Against
1.Experimenter bias (determined by social background) can affect objectivity.
2. Laboratory experiments = artificial conditions which means that findings can lack external validity.
3. How can we study the effects of an immediate situation on behaviour? -behaviour is determined by many things(-genetics, childhood, personality) beyond our control. Therefore can it be a science if we can’t control them?

15. ***Social constructionism***
Psych cannot be a science; our knowledge of ourselves and others is a social construction & there is no objective reality for research.
‘..facts are simply versions of events that are presently (popular)’ –Burr (1997).
Observations and their interpretations are influenced by cultural /historical forces e.g. corporal punishment in schools.

16. G544 Sec B Example Exam Questions:
Jan 2010
Discuss the features of the cognitive approach that support the view that psychology is a science. [8]
Jan 2012
Discuss the extent to which psychology can be considered a science [8]