Why psychology should be referred to a scientific discipline.
QUESTION
Given the various research methods of gathering data on phenomena, justify why psychology should be referred to a scientific discipline.
The main thrust of this essay is to justify why psychology is a scientific discipline. To prove that psychology is a science, methods such as the experimental method, correlation, case study, random assignment and the survey methods will be looked at in detail and also to argue that psychology is a science other alternatives such as the rational research, argument, belief and humanistic method will be looked at also. More so the 6 key features of a science being, empirical evidence, objectivity, control, predictability, hypothesis testing and replication will be used to prove that psychology can be referred to as a science.
Pastorino and Portillo (2011) defined psychology as the study of human mental processes. Science therefore refers to the empirical methods of investigation and seeks to justify a belief in the truth or falsity of an empirical method. Basing on these definitions above therefore psychology becomes a science due to the fact that it involves use of empirical or research methods to understand human and animal behavior hence it came to be considered a science in 1879 after Wilhelm Wundt brought about the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig German.
Case study is one empirical method used in psychology which proves that psychology is a science. is an intensive description and analysis of a single individual (Shaughnessy, Zechmeister &Zechmeister.2012). Much of Freud’s work and theories were developed through individual case studies. In a case study nearly every aspect of the subject life and history is analysed to seek patterns and causes of behaviour (Kasschau ,2003). The hope is that learning gained from studying one case can be generalized to many after others which is a fact that makes psychology a science through the use of this method. In natural sciences a molecule for example potassium reacts violently when put in water this means that this can be said to be true to all potassium molecules. Researchers in psychology can do the same by getting results that can be generalised to everyone for example peer groups influence people`s behavior.
Moreover, another method used in psychology to prove that it’s a science is the survey research method. Psychologists and other social scientist devised the survey method to gather data from a sample that represents a larger population and this is according to Crossen (1994). Surveys are often used because they can be efficient ways to collect large amounts of information. During this research a sample is collected to reflect the characteristics of a large group (population). Questions must be carefully recorded to elicit meaningful and useful responses. Surveys can also be conducted in face to face interviews, by telephone and even the computer. Face to face interviews allow asking for collection of answers. The fact that we can describe and explain the results we get and be able to predict future behavior and most probably change it for the better makes psychology a science.
Another method that proves that psychology is a science is the correlation research method. Psychologists examine the extent to which two variables are associated (Lilienfeld, Lynn, Namy& Woolf, 2011). It is an empirical method that studies naturally occurring associations among 2 or more factors. It asks whether 2 or more factors are naturally associated. It’s got 3 features, firstly the positive correlation-indicating that as one variable increases so does the other, secondly the negative correlation whereby as one variable increases the other decreases and lastly zero correlation whereby two variables are completely correlated e.g. age and height in children are strongly correlated whereas age and athletic performance might show a meaningful but weaker correlation. In natural sciences like biology scientists also study the relationship between temperature and transpiration rates. An experiment conducted by Fowler et al (2005) said that drinking soft drinks was correlated with overweight. The more you drink the more you are likely to be obese because of high sugar content, however to researcher’s surprise consuming diet soft drinks was even more strongly related to obesity rates. Therefore, with the above mentioned methods one can safely say that psychology is a science.
To prove that psychology is a science we will also look at the experimental research method. The method is used to provide a description of human behaviour and seems to provide an explanation of that behaviour. The researcher investigates the relationship between two (or more) variables by deliberately changing one variable in a controlled situation and observing the effects of that change on other aspects of the situation (Lilienfeld, et al 2011). The method allows us to address the problem of explanation that the correlation method has.
In addition, it goes beyond the descriptive problem towards providing answers as to how and why that behaviour comes out. This method has become synonymous with psychologist acceptance of psychology as a scientific discipline because of its early influences from the likes of German physicist Helmetz empirical studies during the 1960’s and Wundt founding the first psychology laboratory as once stated in this essay and also that the experimental method was being backed up by later developments with the rise of statistics and behaviorism early in the 20th century (Fisher 1935, Skinner 1953). These developments have also led to experimental methodology being associated with a mechanistic approach to human thinking of behaviour. An example of an experimental research is a test of cause-effect relationships given by Breakwell et al (eds.) (2008) is of Tom in the kitchen contemplating around 3 seed boxes.
One with seeds spoken to gently for ten minutes, the other shouted for the same time and the other ignored. In its simplest form two groups of seeds are treated in exactly the same way with one exception and any observed difference between the groups is then attributed to the different treatment. Tom has 3 basic ingredients, speech variable, growth rates of the seed in group of participants (seed boxes) in exactly the same way with one exception (whether they are spoken or shouted at). He goes one step further by introducing a new different level of his variables by including a baseline or control whereby a box is not spoken to at all. In other sciences as well there also experiments where there are controls and experiments for example testing for starch a leaf with starch turns blue black and the experiment variegated leaf remains brown. The fact that Tom’s experiment has a control in order to establish cause (IV) and effect (DV) and involves prediction of future behaviour in plants that are shouted at or spoken to gently prove that this research method makes psychology a science study.
The random assignment method is another method used in psychology used to prove that psychology is a science. It refers to the use of chance procedures in psychology experiments to ensure that each participant has the same opportunity to be assigned to any given group study participants are randomly assigned to. Study participants are randomly assigned to different groups such as the experimental or treatment group. Random assignment might involve such tactics as flipping a coin, drawing names out of a hat and assigning random numbers to participants. The fact that this method is just based in looking for facts not beliefs hence involves the pursuit of science which implies that facts will speak for itself proves that psychology is a science.
Psychology is a scientific discipline because it uses naturalistic observations. According to (Pastorino & Portillo,2011) naturalistic observations are research studies that are conducted in the environment in which the behavior typically occurs. Naturalistic observation helps to establish the external validity of laboratory findings. (Shaughnessy,Zechmeister&Zechmeister.2012). For example, if a researcher wants to investigate how students behave in a lecture h/she just watches them while the students are in the lecture. When ethical and moral considerations prevent experimental control, naturalistic observation is an important research strategy. This type of observation gives results straight from the field without any intervention.
This also happens in natural sciences when scientists conduct experiments in natural conditions so that the results will not be biased because people`s behaviour is not tempered with because they are not put in a lab thus they will not be aware of the fact that they are under investigation. Thus in carrying out researches the psychologists also maintain objectivity which is also a core value for a subject to be considered as a scientific.
To add on, psychology can be considered a science because it uses statistics as a research method as said by the article “Quantitative Reaserch”. It is the most widely used branch of mathematics in quantitative research outside of the physical sciences, and also finds applications within the physical sciences, such as in statistical mechanics. Statistical methods are used extensively within fields such as social sciences and biology. Quantitative research using statistical methods typically begins with the collection of data based on a theory or hypothesis, followed by the application of descriptive or inferential statistical methods. Causal relationships are studied by manipulating factors thought to influence the phenomena of interest while controlling other variables relevant to the experimental outcomes. In the field of health, for example, researchers might measure and study the relationship between dietary intake and measurable physiological effects such as weight loss, controlling for other key variables such as exercise.
To add on, quantitatively based opinion surveys are widely used in the media, with statistics such as the proportion of respondents in favor of a position commonly reported. In opinion surveys, respondents are asked a set of structured questions and their responses are tabulated. In the field of climate science, researchers compile and compare statistics such as temperature or atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. Therefore, since psychology uses statistics as a research method is possible to say that psychology can be said to be a scientific discipline.
Eventually with the above mentioned methods prove that psychology is a scientific discipline. The methods such as correlation, experiments, naturalistic observations among others are what makes psychology a scientific discipline. The methods are also aided by the fact that psychology maintains objectivity when carrying out researches.
REFERENCES
Breakwell, G.M. et al (Eds.). (2006). Research methods in Psychology, Sage Publications: Washington D.C
Crossen, C. (1994). Tainted Truth: The manipulation of America, Simon and Schuster: New York.
Kasschau, A, R. (2003). Understanding Psychology. The McGraw-Hill Companies: United States of America.
Lilieifeld, O, S. Lynn, J, S. Namy, L, L.& Woolf, J, N. (2008) Psychology from inquiry to understanding (2nd edition). Pearson Education: Boston.
Pastorino,E and Portillo,S,D.(2011). What is Psychology? (3rd Edition); Cengage Learning: Wadsworth.
Shaughnessy,J,J., Zechmeister,B,E. Zechmeister,S,J.(2012).Research Methods
in Psychology(9th). McGraw-Hill: New York.
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