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The Between Good Science And Pseudoscience

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Pg. 29, Quick Quiz

1. Psychotherapist → May have a credential, or none (C).
2. Psychiatrist → Has an M.D.; tends to take a medical approach to mental-health problems.
3. Clinical psychologist → Has a Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D., and does research on, or psychotherapy for, mental-health problems.
4. Research psychologist → Has an advanced degree (usually a Ph.D.) and does applied or basic study.
5. Psychoanalyst → Trained in therapeutic approach started by Freud.
Pg. 33, Looking Back

1. How does “psychobabble” differ from serious psychology?

To tell the difference between good science and pseudoscience, one must look at the basic characteristics of each. Pseudoscience, or “psychobabble”, hooks people on the basis of confirmation in popular beliefs. It utilizes the art of wording and creates a pretty veneer of scientific actuality, when in reality, the branches it entails like astronomy and psychics hold little water to prove their authenticity. They haven’t used their “abilities” to warn or prevent horrible disasters or solve crimes; they aren’t what they are worked up to be. On the other hand “good” or serious science is backed up with facts and experimentation, and often questions popular ideas. It helps further human knowledge on the world around them, and areas like psychology give researched evidence to demonstrate the validity of a topic.
2. How accurate are psychology’s nonscientific competitors, such as astrologers and psychics?

There isn’t much

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