Is psychology a science? How does it differ from the traditional sciences? How is it similar? Psychology is defined as the study of the human mind and its functions the mind is studied through experimentation and observation and just like the other sciences, needs empirical evidence, therefore, it is a science. There has always been a large debate about it though because the mind is such a tricky topic, some people even go on to call it an art which they back up with valid points. Psychology is different from many other sciences because it’s less concrete. For example in chemistry, biology and physics most things we learn about are laws, well in Psychology there are no laws that have been discovered yet. Because the mind is such a sensitive thing laws are tricky because there could always be one outcast, the same doesn’t apply for the other sciences though because if we are told that the mass of one Oxygen atom is 15.999 g/mol, we could never find one Oxygen atom that wasn’t 15.999 g/mol. As there are differences there are also similarities between Psychology and other sciences. One similarity as stated before is that psychology as all other sciences need empirical evidence to support claims and make theories and, for other sciences, laws. Another similarity is that things like “common sense” and popular opinion aren’t always the best to use to find answers you’re looking for.
Wade, C., & Tavris, C. (2008). Psychology. 9th ed. / Carole Wade, Carol Tavris. Upper Saddle
There has been a lot of debate about whether psychology is considered a science or not. According to the article, “ Is Psychology a “real” science? Does it really matter” by Ashutosh Jogalekar, comes to the conclusion that psychology is not a real science, however I disagree. Jogalekar brings up the facts that psychology does not meet the requirements for it to be considered a scientific field. The requirements that he lists are, “clearly defined terminology, quantifiability, highly controlled experimental conditions, reproducibility, and predictability and testability”, (Jogalekar, 2013). The article explains why this field does not meet the requirements, however there is evidence that psychology does.
Psychology can be presented by the media in forms such as magazine or newspaper articles, and the most popular today is through commercials watched on TV. Psychology is presented in a form of science today compared to what it was viewed as in the late 1800s and onto the 1900s. It is more of a science nature because viewers have to think about the meaning of the article or commercial to understand the message that is being presented. Then, psychology was viewed as a form or common sense. Psychology was never really looked at as a science but rather as philosophy in the 1980s. The public was often confused with the subject of psychology because it was always
Psychology is defined by Merriam-Webster, as the science of mind and behavior. It is a study of how an individual's psyche can be created, developed, altered or destroyed. Carol Gilligan, a Harvard Graduate School professor, for many years has analyzed the psychological theory and development, specifically in a book entitled In A Different Voice.
other areas, but the origins of these areas enables them all to fall under the
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior of human beings. Some areas
Psychology is a science that is normally subjected to an argument. There is also criticism of psychology has not been around long enough to develop a standard, or had established a system of ideas that has been accepted by most specialists in the public, and also lacks the important characteristics of a science. Psychology has roots in other fields including the non-scientific disciplines such as philosophy, which makes it even harder to classify it with the traditional science such as biology and chemistry.
October 22nd, 2012 Chapter 1- What is psychology? [pp. 1-23] LO1: Psychology as a Science (p. 4) * Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
Psychology, according to the textbook definition, is the study of behaviour and mind. However, there is much more to it. Through psychology, we can discover the inner workings of our minds and begin to explain certain phenomena. By studying psychology, people can try to answer questions that have been asked for so long such as: Do we have free will or are we instead driven by environmental, biology, or unconscious influences? What is mental illness and how is it caused and treated? Why do we dream, and, even further, what is the context of our dream and its meaning?? How are our mental states affected by our physical states? By exploring the deep, gruesome areas of our minds,
Bersstein, D.A., Roy, E.J., Srull, T.K. and Wickens, C.D. (1991). Psychology. 2nd Edition. Boston: Houston Mifflin Company.
The psychology actually is "the systematic scientific study of human mental functioning and behaviour", which is made up from many disciplines also including different areas of human understanding. www.markedbyteachers.co (2010)
In order to be considered a science, Psychology must consequently adhere to using a scientific method. If this were, as usual,
Psychology is a scientific study of the mind and behavior of a person or animals action according to, Psychology (fourth edition 2015). I've always believed that Psychology was not a science. There is no explanation on how emotions can be measured (love, hate, sadness). For example, my children both love their dad and when deployment comes one of them cries, and the other might just show a facial expression of sadness. Both children are sad, but one is showing it more than the other. That doesn't mean that one loves their father more than the other one. I believe emotions can not be seen as science since science is about facts according to Psychology, (fourth edition, pg. 20).
Psychology is the study of the science of the mind and the resulting behaviour. Looking to understand and explain to an extent how we think, act and feel. There are many branches of psychology looking at treatments of mental health issues, studying a variety of issues that may impact our health and daily life’s.
Psychology is a science that was discovered and processed for a millennium. Therefore, we could truly say that like any other
Psychology is a study of mind and behavior. Psychological research is mostly focused on the relationship between thought, behavior and emotion; how one influences the other and what are the consequences of such interaction. Put simply, psychology is a field associated with the drive to understand the way human mind works. The topic is slightly enigmatic, but at the same time very challenging and complicated. Where representatives of the exact sciences depend on data, facts and figures, psychologists tend to rely on behavior. Seeing that the majority of work done by psychologists is