Is it the Psychology a science? This question opens a debate that informs us about how much we really don’t know about Psychology. There are many myths about Psychology and the profession of psychologist, and a recurring theme within these topics is the question of whether this discipline can be considered a science or not.
Many people claim that Psychology is not a science based on misconceptions about what a science really is. It is common that in our society we tend to believe the arguments of a doctor or a chemist, since we consider that his knowledge is specific and we do not possess it; However, the knowledge of Psychology is sometimes annoying for many people. Because?
Because perhaps, they do not want their own mental and emotional processes to be partially explained, but rather they prefer to continue preserving the mystery of the Human nature Psychology does not try to discover this mystery. Simply, It is a science that tries to increase our knowledge about ourselves To find out if Psychology really is a science or not and explain why, we must start with a simple question. What is a science?
For a field of knowledge to be a science, it must meet two basic factors:
1. Epistemology
In order to be considered a science, it is essential that there be a clear epistemology That is, it is clear what field we want to increase our knowledge about.
2. Scientific method
Another necessary condition for a discipline of knowledge to be considered a science is that it adheres to the scientific method This is where people who don’t understand Psychology make a mistake. These people do not really know the complexity of the scientific method, its advances, its nature and its variety. We must remember that a science is not an attempt to know the truth or to solve all the mysteries of nature and life, but simply a way (a method) to increase our knowledge. Science asks questions, and for every question it answers, new questions are started, until for the original question we find another more appropriate answer, and so on infinitely.
This is what happens with physics (whose concepts are constantly changing. For example: although today the laws of Isaac Newton, we have known for a long time that they are not totally true, since Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity knew how to question them correctly), with chemistry, with any natural or social science (it is more correct to speak of “natural sciences” than of “pure sciences”, since there are no sciences that are truly purer than others). Physics reflects on the famous chaos theory : Supposedly, physics can predict that if you throw a pool ball with a certain force and orientation, it will hit a certain target. But not all predictions always come true. Because? Because there are multiple unstudied variables, such as the millimeter thickness of the mat, which causes the ball to gradually deviate from its predicted course until it enters into a succession of unexpected events.
Finally, the ball ends up somewhere else. Does this mean that physics is not a science? No, it just means that there are no exact sciences, since sciences do not seek accuracy but rather increase our knowledge. The only exact tool that exists is mathematics. A tool that, by the way, is used quite a lot and successfully in Psychology.
What is Psychology? Is it a science?
Psychology is the science that studies human behavior and its cognitive processes and, therefore, has a clear epistemology. However: Does Psychology follow the scientific method?
Experimental Psychology follows the scientific method as much as physics or chemistry. Other disciplines, such as medicine, are not really sciences but disciplines, although they have scientific research to support their decisions. Psychology works the same way: It is a science that sometimes acts as science according to a scientific method to conduct research, and on other occasions, applies that knowledge in the best possible way to accompany people and societies in processes of change. In these applications, the results are observed and changes and reflection are assessed.
This is what any science would do. Remember that science above all has a humble attitude, of reflection, of questions, of questioning, of openness… at no time does a science believe or aspire to have a absolute truth.
What is the scientific methodology that Psychology uses?
Since the human being is very complex and constantly changes and evolves, its study becomes very complex. For this reason, Psychology has a great methodological diversity to study human beings. Psychology basically uses the hypothetico-deductive methodlike any science Sometimes, due to the nature of his research, he uses quantitative methodologies (where he uses statistical tools), and in others, he uses qualitative methodologies (interview, discussion groups, etc.). The second case, in reality, can be much more complex than the first.
It is not the function of the researcher or psychologist to draw conclusions about reality, but rather knowing how to extract facts that can be contrasted and refuted through human experiences In many universities around the world, professionals who are experts in qualitative methodologies are still in demand, since their great depth, nature and complexity is very unknown to the scientific world. Perhaps, because of this ignorance, many people are confused and consider that Psychology is not a science.
Working and researching cognitive processes, memory, perception, thinking and their heuristics, emotions and their management, biophysiological bases, social structures and their impact on our behaviors, inter and intrapersonal relationships, as well as group relationships, beliefs and attitudes, is complex and Psychologists do it according to great scientific rigor.
When there are bad results, above all, it is due to the partial interests of the companies or organizations that finance certain research. There are errors in psychology, of course, and many psychologists who work with little scientific rigor and quite irresponsibility… but as in all sciences. This does not transform Psychology into what it is not. Psychology is, above all, a science, the science that perhaps has the most complex objective of all: understand each other .
