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Is Psychology a science or an art subject?

It's most commonly classified as a social science - but I fail to see any real science behind it, unlike with natural sciences. Cambridge has categorised Psychology as an art. What do you think?
Reply 1
Original post by tianshan
It's most commonly classified as a social science - but I fail to see any real science behind it, unlike with natural sciences. Cambridge has categorised Psychology as an art. What do you think?

It does use a lot of the scientific method and a fair amount of mathematics in further stages. There is however a lot up for debate within it and current no real way to prove outright any of the schools of thought.
I feel that as it grows older and develops (as a science it's only about 150 ish years old I think) it will become more scientific.
Depends on which aspects you study I suppose. Neuropsychology/neuroscience originated in psychology/biology and has branched off into its own subject area now, but is still part of many psychology courses. Biological, cognitive and developmental psychology are certainly scientific IMO, but in some areas there is so little still known that people may consider it an art until solid evidence has been formed.
Original post by tianshan
It's most commonly classified as a social science - but I fail to see any real science behind it, unlike with natural sciences. Cambridge has categorised Psychology as an art. What do you think?


It is highly debatable...
I did a psychology module in first year and it was fairly scientific, the methods taught, statistical analysis and particularly the the more neuroscience-based knowledge of the brain structures was scientific enough for me to say it's not an arts subject.


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Reply 5
Original post by tianshan
It's most commonly classified as a social science - but I fail to see any real science behind it, unlike with natural sciences. Cambridge has categorised Psychology as an art. What do you think?
It is a science; it's about knowing and understanding things about people.

Arts are the means by which people express themselves, but psychologists aren't expressing their self when they look at a person and their psychological make-up.
Original post by tianshan
It's most commonly classified as a social science - but I fail to see any real science behind it, unlike with natural sciences. Cambridge has categorised Psychology as an art. What do you think?


Psychology can be studied as part of Natural Sciences within Cambridge...
Original post by tianshan
It's most commonly classified as a social science - but I fail to see any real science behind it, unlike with natural sciences. Cambridge has categorised Psychology as an art. What do you think?


You can study History of Science via Cambridge's Natural Science degree so it perhaps not the best way to define what is and is not a science.
Original post by tianshan
It's most commonly classified as a social science - but I fail to see any real science behind it, unlike with natural sciences. Cambridge has categorised Psychology as an art. What do you think?


Please show me where Cambridge has Psychology categorised as an art because that is beyond ridiculous.
Original post by skeptical_john
Please show me where Cambridge has Psychology categorised as an art because that is beyond ridiculous.


Strangely at Cambridge, you can study Psychology via two different streams.

"Psychological and Behavioural Sciences" is classified as an Arts subject, whereas "Natural Sciences Psychology" is classified as a Science subject.
Original post by Chief Wiggum
Strangely at Cambridge, you can study Psychology via two different streams.

"Psychological and Behavioural Sciences" is classified as an Arts subject, whereas "Natural Sciences Psychology" is classified as a Science subject.


Ah so the OP defines it as an art subject because you get a BA instead of a BSC?

Well that doesn't really mean much. Look at the preferred prerequisites - Biology and Maths - that should tell you all you need to know.

You can get a BA in maths and philosophy here
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/jointhonours/mathematics-and-philosophy.aspx

Neither of those subjects have anything to do with art (in this context)
Original post by skeptical_john
Ah so the OP defines it as an art subject because you get a BA instead of a BSC?

Well that doesn't really mean much. Look at the preferred prerequisites - Biology and Maths - that should tell you all you need to know.

You can get a BA in maths and philosophy here
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/jointhonours/mathematics-and-philosophy.aspx

Neither of those subjects have anything to do with art (in this context)


I'm not exactly sure what OP means, but I suspect it's nothing to do with the BA thing - all Cambridge undergrad degrees are BA, even Maths.

I suspect what OP means is that the Cambridge "psychological and behavioural sciences" course is classified as an Arts subject, eg in the Cambridge prospectus. But then, Natural Sciences Psychology is classified as a Science subject.

EDIT: Actually, the Cambridge website/prospectus doesn't really seem to use the Arts/Science classification anymore. So I'm not actually sure what OP means. :p:
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Chief Wiggum
I'm not exactly sure what OP means, but I suspect it's nothing to do with the BA thing - all Cambridge undergrad degrees are BA, even Maths.

I suspect what OP means is that the Cambridge "psychological and behavioural sciences" course is classified as an Arts subject, eg in the Cambridge prospectus. But then, Natural Sciences Psychology is classified as a Science subject.

EDIT: Actually, the Cambridge website/prospectus doesn't really seem to use the Arts/Science classification anymore. So I'm not actually sure what OP means. :p:


Yes, very confusing. Anyway I tend not think of these matters as binary choices, more of a scale than is/is not a science.

Biology is lower down on the scale of hard science than Physics but then Psychology would be a bit below that, then you would have sociology etc. Right at the bottom would be the pseudosciences like crop circles.
Reply 13
Original post by Chief Wiggum
I'm not exactly sure what OP means, but I suspect it's nothing to do with the BA thing - all Cambridge undergrad degrees are BA, even Maths.

I suspect what OP means is that the Cambridge "psychological and behavioural sciences" course is classified as an Arts subject, eg in the Cambridge prospectus. But then, Natural Sciences Psychology is classified as a Science subject.

EDIT: Actually, the Cambridge website/prospectus doesn't really seem to use the Arts/Science classification anymore. So I'm not actually sure what OP means. :p:


I was talking about Psychology as an A Level - sorry for the confusion! Also, I'm pretty sure ia a Psychology at degree level is a science, since the qualification is a BSc.
As a subject, it is completely a science. Much of psychology is a science (with foundations on inferential statistics), as much as medicine is.

As an A level... well, I dunno... I skipped that. But perhaps the real thing which is being debated is 'is psychology A level scientific?'
Original post by skeptical_john
Yes, very confusing. Anyway I tend not think of these matters as binary choices, more of a scale than is/is not a science.

Biology is lower down on the scale of hard science than Physics but then Psychology would be a bit below that, then you would have sociology etc. Right at the bottom would be the pseudosciences like crop circles.


How the hell do you put 'crop circles' onto a list of sciences?
It's like your equating the 'less scientific' with absolute quackery - which is... silly.
Original post by tianshan
I was talking about Psychology as an A Level - sorry for the confusion! Also, I'm pretty sure ia a Psychology at degree level is a science, since the qualification is a BSc.


Ah I see what you mean now, I think.

You mean that when considering admissions, Cambridge doesn't count "A Level Psychology" as a "science subject"?
Original post by hellodave5
How the hell do you put 'crop circles' onto a list of sciences?
It's like your equating the 'less scientific' with absolute quackery - which is... silly.


Yes it is a concept which at first is bonkers but upon thought and research makes total sense.

Imagine a scale

Pure science -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Complete Pseudoscience

Subjects may move along this scale as we learn more about them. For example alchemy was once considered a good science, you can learn a lot about the world from doing alchemy, perform repeatable experiments etc but now we know it is pseudoscience

Then you may look at something like the many worlds theory, which you cant perform (yet) real world experiments and is unfalsifiable yet many of the best scientists accept it. Does that make it a science or not?

The philosophy of science is very interesting subject.
Reply 18
Original post by Chief Wiggum
Ah I see what you mean now, I think.

You mean that when considering admissions, Cambridge doesn't count "A Level Psychology" as a "science subject"?


Yep, you got me!

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