Psychology as Science

(Introduction)
What is Psychology?
 Psychology
- the science of the mind and behavior
Why do we study history?

• 1. A sense of context and perspective

• 2. Improved critical thinking skills
• 3. A deeper understanding of current events
• 4. Appreciation for diversity
• 5. Improved decision making
Brief Synopsis of the History of Psychology
• Philosophy and psychology in ancient Greece
• Structuralism and functionalism in the late 19th and early
20th centuries
• The behaviorist movement in the early 20th century
• Humanistic psychology in the mid-20th century
• Cognitive psychology in the late 20th century
• Integrative and multicultural perspectives in the present day
 Schools of Thought in Psychology
• 1. Structuralism (1870s-1890s): The first school of psychology,
structuralism was founded by Wilhelm Wundt and focused on breaking
down mental processes into their basic elements.
• 2. Functionalism (1890s-1920s): Functionalism, led by William James,
focused on the functions and purposes of mental processes, rather than
their structure.
• 3. Psychoanalysis (1890s-1930s): Developed by Sigmund Freud,
psychoanalysis emphasized the role of unconscious mental processes
and childhood experiences in shaping behavior.
• 4. Behaviorism (1913-1930s): Led by John Watson and B.F. Skinner,
behaviorism focused on observable behavior and rejected the study of
internal mental processes.
 Schools of Thought in Psychology
• 5. Gestalt psychology (1920s-1930s): Developed by Kurt Koffka, Kurt Lewin,
and Wolfgang Köhler, gestalt psychology emphasized the holistic nature of
perception and experience.
• 6. Humanistic psychology (1950s-1960s): Led by Abraham Maslow and
Carl Rogers, humanistic psychology emphasized the unique qualities of
individuals and the importance of self-actualization.
• 7. Cognitive psychology (1950s-1960s): Developed by Ulric Neisser, George
Miller and others, cognitive psychology focused on mental processes such
as memory, attention, and problem-solving.
 Schools of Thought in Psychology
• 8. Evolutionary psychology (1970s-): Developed by David Buss, Martin Daly,
and others, evolutionary psychology emphasizes the role of evolution in
shaping behavior and the mind.
• 9. Positive psychology (1990s-): Developed by Martin Seligman, positive
psychology focuses on promoting well-being and positive aspects of life.
 Psychology
- the science of the mind and behavior
Field Methods in Psychology
• field methods refer to research approaches and
techniques that involve collecting data or information
• this course covers both quantitative and qualitative
field methods. It includes the design and
administration of surveys, interviews, and focus group
discussion. Learners will also be oriented on the use
of secondary data and observations (Course Description,
CMO 34 s. 2017)
Methods of Knowing
Intuition
• When we use our intuition, we are relying on our guts, our emotions,
and/or our instincts to guide us rather than examining facts or using
rational thought, intuition involves believing what feels true.
• The problem with relying on intuition is that our intuitions can be
wrong because they are driven by cognitive and motivational biases
rather than logical reasoning or scientific evidence.
Methods of Knowing
Authority
• involves accepting new ideas because some authority figure states
that they are true.
• These authorities include parents, the media, doctors, Priests and
other religious authorities, the government, and professors.
• While in an ideal world we should be able to trust authority figures,
history has taught us otherwise and many instances of atrocities
against humanity are a consequence of people unquestioningly
following authorities
Methods of Knowing
Rationalism
• involves using logic and reasoning to acquire new knowledge
• premises are stated and logical rules are followed to arrive at sound
conclusions
• the problem with this method is that if the premises are wrong or
there is an error in logic then the conclusion will not be valid.
Nevertheless, if the premises are correct and logical rules are
followed appropriately then this is sound means of acquiring
knowledge.
Methods of Knowing
Empiricism
• involves acquiring knowledge through observation and experience.
• The problem with this is at times, we are limited in what we can
experience and observe and our senses can deceive us.
• Our prior experiences can alter the way we perceive events.
• Nevertheless, empiricism is at the heart of the scientific method.
Science relies on observations. But not just any observations, science
relies on structured observations which is known as systematic
empiricism.
Methods of Knowing
Scientific Method
• is a process of systematically collecting and evaluating evidence to test ideas and answer
questions.
• While scientists may use intuition, authority, rationalism, and empiricism to generate
new ideas they don’t stop there.
• Scientists go a step further by using systematic empiricism to make careful observations
under various controlled conditions in order to test their ideas and they use rationalism
to arrive at valid conclusions.
• One major problem is that it is not always feasible to use the scientific method; this
method can require considerable time and resources.
• Another problem with the scientific method is that it cannot be used to answer all
questions. The scientific method can only be used to address empirical questions.
Fundamental Features of Science
(Jhangiani, et al. 2019).

•Use of Systematic Empiricism

•Focused on Empirical Questions
•Creation of Public Knowledge
Science Versus Pseudoscience
• Pseudoscience refers to activities and beliefs that are claimed to be
scientific by their proponents—and may appear to be scientific at
first glance—but are not.
• A set of beliefs or activities can be said to be pseudoscientific if (a) its
adherents claim or imply that it is scientific but (b) it lacks one or
more of the three features of science.
Three reasons for attention to Pseudoscience
• Learning about pseudoscience helps bring the fundamental features
of science—and their importance—into sharper focus.
• Pseudoscientific beliefs are widely held and are promoted on the
Internet, on television, and in books and magazines. Far from being
harmless, the promotion of these beliefs often results in great
personal toll.
• Many pseudosciences purport to explain some aspect of human
behavior and mental processes. It is important for students of
psychology to distinguish their own field clearly from this “pseudo
psychology.”
Psychology Versus Other Natural Scientific
Disciplines
• 1. Object of study: While natural sciences study the natural world, psychology
studies the mind and behavior of human beings and other animals.
• 2. Methodology: Natural sciences typically rely on controlled experiments and
objective measures to study their subjects, while psychology often uses
methods such as self-reports, surveys, and case studies that can be influenced
by subjectivity and individual differences.
• 3. Complexity: The mind and behavior are complex and multi-determined,
involving interactions between biology, environment, and individual
experience. This complexity can make it challenging to develop and test
scientific theories in psychology.
Psychology Versus Other Natural Scientific
Disciplines
• 4. Theory development: Unlike the natural sciences, where theories can often
be tested and proven through experimentation, psychological theories are
often more difficult to test and may be revised or modified over time based
on new data and insights.
• 5. Interdisciplinary nature: Psychology is an interdisciplinary field, drawing on
concepts and theories from many other disciplines, including biology,
sociology, and philosophy.
• 6. Application: The findings of natural sciences can often be applied in a
straightforward way, while the applications of psychological knowledge can be
more complex and depend on the specific context and individual.
Goals of Psychology
1. To describe behavior
2. To explain behavior (determining the causes of
behavior)
3. To predict behavior
4. To change behavior (for the better)
Field Methods

• field methods refer to research approaches and

techniques that involve collecting data or
information
What is research?
• The systematic effort to discover or confirm facts, to investigate a new
problem or topic, or to describe events and understand relationships
among variables, most often by scientific methods of observation and
experimentation. Research is essential to science in contributing to
the accumulation of generalizable knowledge (APA)
• Research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information
to increase our understanding of a topic or issue (J.Creswell)
• The manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of
generalizing to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that
knowledge aids in construction of theory or in the practice of an art
(Slesinger & Stephenson)
What is research?

• Research is a systematic, objective and

comprehensive investigation of certain
phenomenon which involves accurate gathering
and recording, and critical analysis and
interpretation of all facts about the
phenomenon for theoretical or practical end
(Ardales)
 Identification & Definition of a Research Problem
(Literature Review)

Statement of Research Theoretical/Conceptual Operational Definition of

Prob./Obj. Framework Formulation variables

Hypothesis Formulation

H
ARC Choosing Appropriate Research Design

Identification of Target Population and Sampling

RESE

Data Collection
S
CES

Preparation of Reliability Testing Q Administration,

Research and Interview Quality
Instrument Validation Testing & Control
Observation
PRO
THE

Data Processing
(Editing, Coding, Encoding, Creation of Data Files Tabulation)

Data Analysis and Interpretation

(Statistical Analysis, Interpretation, Generalization)

Report Preparation and Information Dissemination

 Other Dichotomies of Research
(David, 2005)

• Pure Basic vs. Applied Research

• Exploratory vs. Explanatory
• Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research
• Descriptive vs. Experimental
Field Methods

• field methods refer to research approaches and

techniques that involve collecting data or
information
Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of

knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and
instruction.
References
• Jhangiani, R.S., Chiang, I-C.A., Cuttler, C., & Leighton, D.C. (2019).
Research Methods in Psychology. 4th edition. a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
• Understanding and doing research: A handbook for beginners FP
David - Iloilo City: Panorama Printing Inc, 2005
• Ardales, Venancio B. (2008) Basic concepts and methods in research.
Manila : Educational Pub. House,
• https://dictionary.apa.org/research
• https://eduhutch.blogspot.com/2023/03/research-definition-by-
authors.html