[Abbyyyyyyy]

A Level psychology disappointed me, it is pretty much just rote learning the information and regurgitating it back in the exam. I can't remember anything from AS or the January exam now.

[GreenLantern1]

(Original post by QuantumOverlord)
You are misusing the term 'academic', you can be an academic in anything from music to physics. I think perhaps a better distinction as follows:

Physical sciences

Physics
Chemistry
Materials Science
Engineering e.c.t

Biological sciences

Biology
Medicine
Biochemistry e.c.t

Social Sciences

Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology e.c.t

Humanities

History
Geography
Politics? e.c.t

Arts

Music
Film studies
English Lit e.c.t

Fair enough I couldn't quite think of another word to depict the 'mainstream' sciences.

[James A]

(Original post by Nutty_Psychologist)
Psychology has been classified as a social science

http://www.publications.parliament.u...57/257we06.htm

Psychology is a social science. End of.

The small things in life can really make a difference.

[TheHansa]

(Original post by 7dialsuk)
I would say that it depends on the methodology used by the psychologist.

I would say this is the right answer

[blueray]

No it's a good time pass.

[NR09]

(Original post by Amwazicles)
Pretty sure I've never heard anyone rule biology out of science? That would leave, what, physics and chemistry and nothing else?

Well my physics teacher least year for one. Some arrogant, misinformed people on here have said it to, but that's to be expected on TSR.

[scriddle]

Why is the psych department in some uni's under the environmental science college and not the social science college :s

[MoonShadowWolf]

Social psychology is not. Biological/clinical ect is. These areas are pretty much biology

[geetar]

The definitions behind 'science' are a lot more hazy than most people - who have been schooled on the 'biology, chemistry, physics' curriculum - assume. "Science" originally just referred to a body of knowledge. In our day, disciplines are very regimented and organised: you're either a chemist, or a biologist, or a historian, or an economist, or whatever. But that is only a (relatively) recent development. In ye olden dayes, everything was seen much more pantheistically. So Isaac Newton didn't see any contradiction between his work as a mathematician and physicist, and his work as an alchemist. The very word "scientist" again only came into use 19th century; before that, scientists were known as natural philosophers. We nowadays have a view that says that science and philosophy are very distinct disciplines, but that clearly hasn't been the case for most of history.

There are two frequently used modern day definitions as to what "science is". One of them is that science utilises the scientific method, as developed in the seventeenth century. But to my mind, that's not a very helpful definition. For instance, paleontology is seen as a science, whereas archeology - which uses pretty much the same methodology, for the same ends - isn't. So another common definition of science is that it is the study of the solely natural world. And by that definition, I guess, psychology wouldn't be seen as a science.

Paul Feyerbarend taught the concept of Epistemological Anarchism, which advocates the view that there is no such thing as inherent "science", which is the view the I would subscribe to. And that's the view that I would subscribe to. So as to whether psychology is a science, I would say that it is and it isn't. But more to the point, it really doesn't matter.

[samyboo]

Thanks for all the opinions guys, I myself take Pyschology at college and am planning on taking it as my degree. This is why i find it annoying when stupid people who consider themselves 'real scientists' give me abuse because pyschologys not a real science. I just need clarification to what others though

[CUFCDan]

I would not consider it a social science at all.

I think 'psychology' is too broad to call it anything. Psychology encompasses a whole range of disciplines, and it is one of those degrees that people tend to follow on with a masters in more specific study. Much like politics or something, it can either be broad and theoretical or brutally empirical.

[thescientist17]

Depends what area it is.. the trouble is a lot of it is theoretical and you can't really prove a lot. Some areas are scientific and others, well.. I don't know. It is and it isn't a science.

[Safiya122]

(Original post by James A)
Doesn't mean it's a science does it?

If it were a science I would have learnt about it in my GCSE core and additional science course.

Seriously did you not read what I typed? I didn't say it was. I was asking as to why it requires science to be taken in sixth form.

[member591354]

(Original post by NR09)
To be fair, high school biology is like this too. You just remember facts from a book.

So is Biology A Level.

[NR09]

(Original post by liamdunne)
So is Biology A Level.

That's what I said...

[RobertWhite]

(Original post by Kittt)
it's a pre-science. due to the whole paradigm shizzle and how there is no universal paradigm in psychology


alright then, negg me for simply saying something i was taught in my A2 psychology course..

Psychology will never have one paradigm. Human behaviour is too complicated.

[RobertWhite]

(Original post by oElectronic)
Well if you do A2 psychology for Edexcel you actually have to discuss whether psychology is a science or not as a part of the exam. I personally think it is only a social science, but not a 'proper' science. Don't really see how you can compare it to the likes of chemistry and so on.

But here's some explanations that I've learnt in lessons for it being a science aswell as not being a science:


You have to try and be as objective as possible when it comes to research and experiments to avoid affecting results. However there are aspects of psychology that are almost entirely subjective ie. the psychodynamic approach in psychology which is mostly Freud's work. But there's also the idea of creating a hypothesis and doing experiments to prove the hypothesis is correct and to provide evidence, which would prove it to be scientific.

Some aspects of psychology actually involve science. Biological psychology looks into how the brain works and how it affects our behaviour, how neurotransmitters affect our behaviour like dopamine with schizophrenia, gambling & other addictive behaviours etc. But then you could easily say once again that the psychodynamic approach ignores this kind of thing, aswell as the social approach etc. But there are others that involve a bit of science but not entirely composed of it, like criminological psychology.

You can kind of see how you can say one thing but it's easily counteracted, which is why no one has actually decided whether it's a 'real' science or not. It's still being debated today, but at the moment it's classified as a social science, which I think is right.

That's the problem with A level science. They exclusively teach you theories which are over 50 years old. Freud is not modern Psychology and the psychodynamic approach has changed. Psychology is constantly moving towards a more objective basis. The definition of science is "knowledge attained through study or practice," or "knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, esp. as obtained and tested through scientific method." and this is exactly what Psychology does.

[RobertWhite]

(Original post by Neel-k94)
I think it is studied as a science, but technically it isn't a science as many things in psychology don't show the same result every time (which, I think, is a major part in the "definition" of science).

The definition of science is uncovering truths using the scientific method. Human behaviour has so many factors and is unpredictable. Of course people will have different results. Psychology is quite a young science in its modern day nature - it would be like biology in its early days. Scientists would use all kinds of weird stuff to try and heal patients, such as bleeding people. I expect Psychology will one day reach the stage some of the sciences are currently at.

[AntisthenesDogger]

No it isn't you're right. Surprised you haven't said the same for psychiatry as that's far a more obvious culprit.

[AntisthenesDogger]

No it isn't you're right. Surprised you haven't said the same for psychiatry as that's far a more obvious culprit.

Although there is a case to be made for certain aspects of Psychology, albeit not much.