• Category: Psychology
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  Psychology A Science

In order to answer this question it is important to understand the definitions of both psychology and science. The word 'psychology' comes from the Greek 'psyche' (or soul) and 'logos' (or study), which came to be known as the 'study of the soul'. The American Heritage Dictionary defines psychology as: 1. the science dealing with the mind and with mental and emotional processes 2. the science of human and animal behavior.

In its pure definition the dictionary has provided us with a clue to the answer, it describes science as: 1. systematized knowledge derived from observation, study, etc. 2. a branch of knowledge, esp. one that systematizes facts, principles, and methods 3. skill or technique In order to prove this claim we have to look at whether or not psychology can fill this definition above.

Scientific study is a valid way of coming to an understanding of life, and can be very useful in every area of life. Science develops theories based on what is observed. It examines each theory with rigorous and scrupulous tests to see if it describes reality. The scientific method works well in observing and recording physical data and in reaching conclusions which either confirm or nullify a theory.

During the mid-19th century, scholars (although at that time probably termed philosophers) wanted to study human nature with the aim of applying the scientific method to observe, record, and treat human behavior that was deemed as unnatural. They believed that if people could be studied in a scientific manner, there would be a greater accuracy in understanding present behavior, in predicting future behavior, and, most controversially, in altering behavior through scientific intervention.

There are many areas of psychology, each attempting to explain behavior from slightly different perspectives; Social psychology is concerned with the effects of social...

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COMMENTS

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
not upto the mark of a graduation student.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
not upto the mark of a graduation student.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
it does not adequately distinguish between psychology and science

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
psychology is a science because is follows scientific assumptions,methods and characteristics. Psychology is a scientific study.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
God and i thought that made sense guess i am not with it i really enjoyed reading it. The above comments do not say wht should have been put or included in the essay but well done for trying.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Very informative has helped me with my Psychology debate is Psychology a science?

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
A good work on the topic, is Psychology a science. At least to make a conclusion on my essay. Weldone.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
I think the statement about physical sciences accepting tolerences of 2% (incorrect by the way since many studies are rejected on errors at a fraction of this) and psychology accepting 50% answers the title question in itself. This article is very unconvincing.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
I agree with the previous contributor, although I would add in support that the article is essentially a bunch of bullshit.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
I believe that psychology has a lot of scientific components but is not a scientific study alltogether because there is a lot of subjectivity involved. Also, not all the perspectives test what can be physically observed (e.g. psychodynamic pers.)

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
The essay lacks evidence, and the author fails to reach any sort of valid or final conclusion. The author further fails to demonstrate a true understanding of the origins of the philosophy of science eminated through writers such as Popper and Kuhn. The essay is a of a very poor standard.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Good introduction.. Destiguishinng between science and psychology really opens up a discussion. overall, well done!

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
I found this essay helped me alot in distinguishing between science and psychology. Very well structured and easy to understand.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
i am a psychology undergraduate and i thought this essay was poorly written. firstly, no history of the development of psychology as a science was given. the referencing was also inadequate. the structure, however was fair. i wonder what college year this essay was for? this is poor work even by first year standards.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Well, while it is easy to critisise and pop cursing words like some did above, I find this as proving that the essay is discursive and evokes a lot of emotions- which paradoxically, psychology tries to unearth and understand( wether scientifically or otherwise). What pyschology is or is not should not be our source of fight today but our source of strength. Who defines science for others. These subjects are all relative and need to be treated as complementary for as a researcher measures behaviour they are engaged in science, but as they turn to make discriptions of what the measures mean, they are deep in non scientific acts.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Well done!!! It reallly clairfies my view on the similiarity and differences between science and psychology. However, the essay will be perfect if it address what kinds of science psychology is. For example, u can say that psychology is a positivistic, realistic science etc. Also, if a conclusion can be reached, the flow will be more coherent. ^^ Well done!!

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
POOR>... too hard to udnerstand. 4 alevel student surprisingly

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
i think it was a bit hard 2 uderstand 2 but its helped a bit

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
you people suck

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
It was really, really disapointing. I failed my essay, thanks to you!

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Chelsea V. from the Young trailer court.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Psychology is a myth. Can anyone explain how a norm or the observance of groups of people are scientific. Each person is uniquely different in every respect and therefore there is no starting point to measure any individual. Psychological interpretations have been based on a basis of perceptions of observance, which is subjective to each individuals personal values. A human functions holistically and not from the psyche alone. Free choice eliminates the possibility of a mindset.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
nope to above

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
These comments are too hard to understand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
These comments are too hard to understand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
that is a proper essay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Chelsea V. from Young is a crazy woman!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Jesse Dieno

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
PSYCHOLOGY SUCKS BUT!!!

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
What do you have to say about this????

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
aww it was good :]

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
The essay started nicely but as one reaches in the end he could not conclude.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
no comment

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
well it was a nice try..of explaning psychology as a science but i would say thta it lacked some points like what makes psychology actually a science...like the facts science has in it..the field of accuracy,skepticism,objectivity..and all thta..otherwise you really did a nice job by comparing the subject matter of psychology,good work keep it up..but do clarify what yu are trying to say!! and for people who are leaving stupid coments dont waist yur time in studying the subject thta isnt meant for you.....

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
some of the commemts on this essay are really bad personal i started to read it and unforunatly did not finish. found it hard to continue.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
i want to know the name of the writer and year in this article was written.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
Icoment that psychology is a science because it use scientific procedures inorder to reach conclusion

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
bollocks.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
you are all losers and this essay is insulting to academia

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
i will coplete satisfied with this essay.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
It explain what is psychology.

No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
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