Psychology and pseudoscience

The essay explores Psychology as a science, highlighting its origins in 1879 with Wilhelm Wundt and its status compared to other scientific disciplines. It addresses the issue of pseudoscience in Psychology and the importance of falsifiability as a demarcation criterion, following Popper. The discussion also covers publication bias, the misuse of statistics and p-values, and how these factors affect the discipline’s credibility. Finally, it analyzes the validity of psychological tests, emphasizing psychometric methods to ensure reliability. Continue reading Psychology and pseudoscience

Psicología/Psychology

Is generalization a necessary and sufficient condition for scientific research in Psychology?

This essay examines whether generalization is a necessary and sufficient condition for scientific research in Psychology, comparing qualitative and quantitative approaches. It argues that qualitative methods do not always aim for generalization but rather focus on rich descriptions and individual perspectives. Conversely, quantitative methods, rooted in a positivist framework, prioritize generalization based on empirical data. The validity of generalization as the sole criterion for scientific rigor is questioned, emphasizing other key factors such as parsimony, falsifiability, and efficiency. The conclusion suggests that generalization alone is not sufficient and that both approaches can complement each other within the scientific method. Continue reading Is generalization a necessary and sufficient condition for scientific research in Psychology?