Is Psychology a Science?

Psychology is a captivating area of study that many of us are curious to explore. But have you ever wondered if it is a scientific discipline and why it is sometimes referred to as social science? 

It is considered as both a field of science and social science because it is a bridge between facets of natural sciences like biology, neuroscience and chemistry, and the social and cultural disciplines like anthropology, sociology, etc.

What is Psychology?

Psychology is the systematic study of thoughts, emotions and human behavior substantiated by empirical evidence. This multidisciplinary field seeks to comprehend how people tend to feel, think and act in diverse situations and under specific conditions. It also investigates the cultural, biological, social and environmental factors that influence our mind, nature and behavior in various contexts.

In the field of psychology, scientific methods, including research, experimentation and systematic observation are utilized to interpret human behavior and mental functions like cognition, memory, learning and perception. It also examines the role of genetics, brain chemistry and other biological features of the human brain.

Psychology aligns with social sciences like anthropology, sociology, behavioral economics and political science to explore how social groups, ethnicity, culture, history, economics and politics can provide a deeper insight into our thoughts, attitudes and behavior. By combining both natural and social science, psychology provides a extensive understanding of human behavior and how individual factors and social factors can shape human experiences, mental attitude and behavior.

Scientific features of psychology

Psychology has established itself as a scientific discipline by using empirical and evidence-based approaches. Below are the primary scientific features of psychology:

1. Diverse approaches

The versatile nature of psychology can aid in studying both measurable and intangible phenomena. Psychologists research complex human behavior by combining both quantitative data (survey data, longitudinal studies, experiment data, etc) and qualitative data (interviews, case studies, focus groups, etc). The mixed-methods approach can produce a wide range of data and can be used for critical interventions and to solve real-world problems. For example, a combined research of numerical and descriptive data can be efficient when studying the impact of gadget usage on our mental health.

2. Subfields and inter-disciplines

The sub-fields of psychology such as cognitive psychology, social psychology, psychopharmacology, sports psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, etc have scientific frameworks that enable us to study about the nuances of human behavior in certain settings.

• Cognitive Psychology is the scientific study of perception, memory, attention learning, language, meta-cognition and other mental processes.

• Developmental psychologists study the physical, cognitive, behavioral, social and emotional changes we undergo over our lifespan from birth to death. 

• Social psychology helps us to understand how our personality, attitudes, motivations, and behavior can be affected by group dynamics and social interactions across cultures, societies, communities, etc.

• Psychopharmocology is the science of how drugs and medications impact and influence our sensations, mood, cognition , emotions and behavior.

3. Evidence-based Applications

When psychology is applied in certain fields like counseling and clinical psychology, the therapy approaches, interventions, counseling techniques and clinical treatments are all supported by research and evidence in accordance with psychological theories and concepts. Counseling Psychologists study about the various mental health challenges faced by people and devise the corresponding interventions to improve the quality of life and overall mental well-being.

For example, therapy approaches like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) are used by therapists to treat depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, etc. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Exposure Therapy are other examples of evidence-based therapy techniques used to reduce the impact of phobias, complex PTSD and anxiety. 

Read More: 12 Branches of Psychology 

Unique challenges for psychology

While psychology continues to be rooted in scientific frameworks and concepts, it also faces unique complications:

Balancing Science and Ethics:

While conducting psychological research or interventions, there are possibilities for ethical and moral dilemmas to impact the scientific objectivity. These conundrums usually stem from the need to ensure that the privacy, dignity, consent, rights and welfare of the research participants are not breached. It is crucial to inform participants about the risks, nature, requirements and purpose of the research studies. By knowing the exact nature of the study, the participants might behave or report in a socially-acceptable manner which can skew the findings.

Research-related Bias:

Maintaining transparency and integrity during research dissemination can be stressful for researchers. Selective data reporting or data manipulation can significantly distort scientific recordings. The behavior of the research participants tend to change when they are aware of being observed (Hawthorne effect), and researchers’ personal expectations, opinions, or prejudices can influence their perception during research (Observer bias).

Subjectivity of the mind:

Some phenomena like thoughts, emotions, and consciousness, are abstract and challenging to measure. Biology, society culture and the environment are complex variables that majorly influence human behavior. For example, two siblings from the same household can respond or react differently to the same distressing circumstances due to their subjective experiences, gender discrimination, attachment styles and other variables.

Universal differences:

Unlike other scientific disciplines, psychology does not have universal laws to govern human behavior. The existing and upcoming theories can not be applied universally and will have cultural, societal and regional differences. Research studies are able to describe, control and predict behavior to an extent but there will always be exceptions and unseen complications that would modify behavior.

Comorbidity and multiple factors:

The presence of comorbidity and the interplay of genetic, social, cultural, biological and environmental variables can complicate diagnosis, treatments and interventions. For example, individuals suffering from complex trauma or suicidal ideation might turn to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism which can lead to substance abuse.

When is psychology not science?

In recent times, there is a rising trend in which various mainstream media and social media oversimplify psychological concepts to make it accessible for the people using social media apps like Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook. This is known as popular psychology and it is not based on scientific foundations or verifiable sources.

Pop psychology books, videos and articles promise easy fixes for challenges related to grief, success, happiness, career, productivity and health, that generally appeal to a wide audience. They offer general platitudes and one-size-fits-all solutions that are reliant on personal experiences and anecdotes. While offering these misrepresented solutions, they focus only on supporting evidence and ignore contradictory or unreliable factors. Energy fields, astrology, spirituality and metaphysical forces are also integrated to make it relatable and digestible. 

Common examples of popular psychology:

• Specific self-help books like Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray, that are rooted in anecdotal evidence, rather than psychology.
• “Psychology says..” articles, generic self-help advice, suggestions, motivational quotes that are not backed up by scientific sources.

Differences between Psychology as a Science and Popular psychology:

Why is Psychology essential?

Psychology is an indispensable field of study for the following reasons: 

• Psychology provides the tools and clarity to understand complex aspects of human diversity and behavior.

• The research findings in psychology can be useful to bridge the gaps in various pillars of society such as education, justice, medicine, business and technology.

• It unveils interesting discoveries about how our mind processes information and responds to diverse stimuli. It aids in underatdning how we behave, why we behave a certain way, why we didn’t respond a particular way and much more.

• Therapy approaches which are evidence-based can help us face challenges in our daily life, relationships, career, academics and various other settings.

• Psychology is essential to tackle and design interventions for social issues such as discrimination, war, inequality, violence, prejudice and addiction. 

• Last but not the least, psychology can act as a conduit for promoting social harmony and consequently reduce human suffering.

Conclusion

Psychology qualifies as a science because it uses scientific methods such as developing hypotheses, collecting quantitative and qualitative data, conducting experiments and observations and to analyze the evidence and research findings. Its scope is diverse due to its interdisciplinary applications that benefit crucial systems such as education, parenting, law, etc. Despite facing challenges such as ethical constraints, subjectivity and other research-related issues, psychology has solidified itself as both science and social science that has real-world applications.