Research Methods in Psychology

Abstract

Learning Objectives1. Define science.2. Describe the three fundamental features of science.3. Explain why psychology is a science. Define pseudoscience and give some examples. What Is Science?Some people are surprised to learn that psychology is a science.They generally agree that astronomy, biology, and chemistry are sciences but wonder what psychology has in common with these other fields.Before answering this question, however, it is worth reflecting on what astronomy, biology, and chemistry have in common with each other.It is clearly not their subject matter.Astronomers study celestial bodies, biologists study living organisms, and chemists study matter and its properties.It is also not the equipment and techniques that they use.Few biologists would know what to do with a radio telescope, for example, and few chemists would know how to track a moose population in the wild.For these and other reasons, philosophers and scientists who have thought deeply about this question have concluded that what the sciences have in common is a general approach to understanding the natural world.Psychology is a science because it takes this same general approach to understanding one aspect of the natural world: human behavior.Why should we concern ourselves with pseudoscience?There are at least three reasons.One is that learning about pseudoscience helps bring the fundamental features of science-and their importance-into sharper focus.A second is that biorhythms, psychic powers, astrology, and many other pseudoscientific beliefs are widely held and are promoted on the Internet, on television, and in books and magazines.Learning what makes them pseudoscientific can help us to identify and evaluate such beliefs and practices when we encounter them.A third reason is that many pseudosciences purport to explain some aspect of human behavior and mental processes, including biorhythms, astrology, graphology (handwriting analysis), and magnet therapy for pain control.It is important for students of psychology to distinguish their own field clearly from this "pseudopsychology." The Skeptic's DictionaryAn excellent source for information on pseudoscience is The Skeptic's Dictionary (http://www.skepdic.com).Among the pseudoscientific beliefs and practices you can learn about are the following:• Cryptozoology.The study of "hidden" creatures like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, and the chupacabra.• Pseudoscientific psychotherapies.Past-life regression, rebirthing therapy, and bioscream therapy, among others.• Homeopathy.The treatment of medical conditions using natural substances that have been diluted sometimes to the point of no longer being present.• Pyramidology.Odd theories about the origin and function of the Egyptian pyramids (e.g., that they were built by extraterrestrials) and the idea that pyramids in general have healing and other special powers. Key Takeaways• Science is a general way of understanding the natural world.Its three fundamental features are systematic empiricism, empirical questions, and public knowledge.• Psychology is a science because it takes the scientific approach to understanding human behavior.• Pseudoscience refers to beliefs and activities that are claimed to be scientific but lack one or more of the three features of science.It is important to distinguish the scientific approach to understanding human 1.1 Understanding Science 4behavior from the many pseudoscientific approaches. Exercises1. Discussion: People sometimes suggest that psychology cannot be a science because either (a) human behavior cannot be predicted with perfect accuracy or (b) much of its subject matter (e.g., thoughts and feelings) cannot be observed directly.Do you agree or disagree with each of these ideas?Why?2. Practice: List three empirical questions about human behavior.List three nonempirical questions about human behavior.3. Discussion: Consider the following psychological claim."People's choice of spouse is strongly influenced by their perception of their own parents.Some choose a spouse who is similar in some way to one of their parents.Others choose a spouse who is different from one of their parents."Is this claim falsifiable?Why or why not?