Overview
This lecture introduces the foundations of psychology as a science, focusing on its historical roots, epistemological approaches, the scientific method, distinguishing science from pseudoscience, and the goals of scientific research in psychology.
What Is Psychology?
- Psychology is the scientific study of human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
- Subfields include clinical, counseling, social, developmental, industrial/organizational, and neuropsychology.
Historical and Philosophical Roots
- Psychology originated from philosophy, exploring mind-body connections in ancient Egypt, Greece, India, China, and Indigenous America.
- Key figures: Imhotep (mental-physical health), Patanjali (meditation), Ibn Sina (diagnosing mental disorders), John Locke (tabula rasa).
- Psychology became a science in the late 19th century with Wilhelm Wundt’s use of the scientific method.
Epistemological Ways of Knowing
- Authority: Accepting claims from respected figures; quick but fallible.
- Intuition: Believing what feels obvious; fast but subject to bias.
- Rationalism: Using logical reasoning; useful but depends on sound premises.
- Empiricism: Knowledge through observation and sensory experience; reliable but data can be biased or incomplete.
What Makes a Science?
- A science is defined by how it studies phenomena, not what it studies.
- The scientific method involves systematic, objective, and replicable procedures for testing ideas.
- Three key considerations:
- Systematic Empiricism: Structured, consistent observation and measurement.
- Empirical Questions: Testable, observable, and falsifiable questions.
- Public Knowledge: Openly sharing methods and findings for replication and scrutiny.
Science vs. Pseudoscience
- Pseudoscience mimics science but lacks systematic empiricism, empirical questions, and public sharing (e.g., biorhythms, astrology).
- Pseudoscientific claims are often unverifiable, non-replicable, and not openly reviewed.
Bias and Common Sense in Psychology
- Folk psychology relies on personal beliefs and intuition, which are often biased.
- Common cognitive biases: heuristics (mental shortcuts), confirmation bias, wishful thinking.
- Scientific skepticism involves questioning claims and seeking evidence before accepting them.
Goals of Science in Psychology
- Describe: Define and categorize thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (using nomothetic or idiographic approaches).
- Predict: Identify patterns and anticipate future occurrences; correlation doesn’t imply causation.
- Explain: Discover underlying causes and establish causal relationships.
- Change: Apply knowledge to solve real-world problems and improve well-being.
Basic vs. Applied Research
- Basic research expands general knowledge and addresses description, prediction, and explanation.
- Applied research solves practical problems and emphasizes creating change, often in clinical or counseling settings.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Epistemology — the study of knowledge and justified belief.
- Empiricism — gaining knowledge through direct observation or experience.
- Scientific method — a systematic, replicable process for investigating claims.
- Systematic empiricism — structured, consistent observation using specific procedures.
- Empirical question — a question that can be answered through observable and measurable evidence.
- Pseudoscience — a field that appears scientific but lacks core features of science.
- Folk psychology — common-sense beliefs about psychological phenomena.
- Scientific skepticism — questioning attitude focused on evidence before acceptance.
- Psychological construct — an abstract concept used to describe and study aspects of human experience.
- Nomothetic approach — studying general patterns across many individuals.
- Idiographic approach — focusing on the unique aspects of single cases.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review today’s notes, ensuring you can explain each learning outcome.
- Prepare for next week’s lecture on the detailed steps of the scientific method.
- Read assigned textbook chapters on the history and research methods of psychology.