Topic > The scientific nature of psychology - 600

Psychology can be defined as the study of human behavior, of how individuals perceive the world around them and how they react to these perceptions. Psychology considers itself a science. However, there are many who disagree with this notion. Often called a fictitious science or even a cult, psychologists have often had to defend their scientific community. Despite being a relatively new science, skepticism about whether psychology is a real science existed even before its establishment as an independent discipline. Indeed, Immanuel Kant, a highly regarded 18th century philosopher, denied the validity of such science. He argued that the study of the human mind could not become a true natural science because the events of the mind are not quantifiable (i.e. weighed or measured). Therefore, its data cannot be described mathematically, nor can it truly be manipulated experimentally. With arguments similar to those of Kant, many modern critics of psychology offer a lack of tangibility and quantifiability as indicative of its failure to become a true science. Wilhelm Wundt, a 19th-century German physician and physiologist, is credited with establishing psychology as a separate science. science as well as being the "founding father" of experimental psychology. Since then, the science of psychology has continued to develop and mature. Over time, psychology has increased the extent to which scientific standards are met by its procedures for collecting data in both laboratory and nonlaboratory research through advancements in techniques and technology. Psychology, being a study of human behavior, has obvious connections with other natural sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics. All these sciences are completely inte...... half of the paper ......? It is now clear that this type of thinking is the driving force behind the argument against psychology as a legitimate science. If it is not physical, how do we observe, test and explore these characteristics in others? The fact that these elements are not physically visible produces unique challenges for the study of psychology in terms of testing theories and analyzing its findings. However, these non-physical elements manifest themselves in the visible phenomenon of human behavior. Through our observations and interactions with others, as well as through our introspection, we are aware that these characteristics exist and that they differ in every human being. Psychology has and continues to explore variations in behavior and constantly develops theories that attempt to explain and predict them, making it not only a valid science but also an extremely important one..