Is psychology a science, and should it aspire to be one?
Controversy: the scientific status of psychology. The features of science (objectivity, control, replicability, falsifiability, paradigms), arguments that psychology is and is not a science, the place of different approaches, and a judgement.
An Eduqas A-Level Psychology answer to the controversy of the scientific status of psychology. Covers the features of science (objectivity, control, replicability, falsifiability, paradigms), the arguments that psychology is and is not a science, the contrast between approaches, and how to reach a judgement on the Implications in the Real World paper.
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What this dot point is asking
The scientific status of psychology is one of the controversies in Component 3. You must explain the features of science, argue whether psychology is and is not a science, link this to the approaches, and reach a judgement.
The answer
The features of science
Arguments
- For (psychology is a science). The biological, cognitive and behaviourist approaches use controlled, objective, replicable experiments (Raine's scans, lab memory studies, conditioning) and seek falsifiable laws.
- Against (psychology is not, or not fully). The psychodynamic approach is unfalsifiable and subjective; lab studies can be artificial (low ecological validity); demand characteristics and investigator effects reduce objectivity; and psychology arguably lacks a single agreed paradigm (Kuhn).
Reaching a judgement
A balanced conclusion is that parts of psychology are scientific (the experimental approaches) while others are not (the psychodynamic approach). Psychology is best described as a discipline with scientific aims and methods that vary by approach, and being scientific is valuable but not the only worthwhile way to understand behaviour.
Examples in context
Example 1. Falsifiability divides the approaches. Raine's hypotheses are testable and could be disproved (scientific), whereas Freud's unconscious cannot be observed or refuted (unfalsifiable). This contrast is the clearest way to show psychology is scientific in parts.
Example 2. The paradigm question. Kuhn argued a mature science has one shared paradigm; psychology has several competing approaches, which some take as evidence it is "pre-paradigmatic". This is a sophisticated point that strengthens the "not fully a science" side.
Try this
Q1. Name three features of science. [3 marks]
- Cue. Objectivity, control, replicability, falsifiability, empirical methods, or shared paradigms (any three).
Q2. Explain why the psychodynamic approach is criticised as unscientific. [2 marks]
- Cue. Its central concept, the unconscious, cannot be directly observed or measured, so its theories are unfalsifiable and cannot be tested or refuted.
Q3. State a balanced conclusion on whether psychology is a science. [2 marks]
- Cue. Psychology is scientific in parts (the experimental biological, cognitive and behaviourist approaches) but not uniformly (the psychodynamic approach is unfalsifiable), so its scientific status varies by approach.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 201912 marksDiscuss whether psychology should be regarded as a science. [12 marks]Show worked answer →
A discussion item (AO1 plus AO3) reaching a judgement.
A strong answer outlines the features of science (objectivity, control, empirical methods, replicability, falsifiability and shared paradigms), then argues both sides. For: the biological, cognitive and behaviourist approaches use controlled, objective, replicable experiments (for example Raine's scans, lab memory studies, conditioning), so psychology can be scientific. Against: the psychodynamic approach is unfalsifiable, much behaviour is studied with low control or in artificial settings, demand characteristics and subjectivity intrude, and psychology arguably lacks a single agreed paradigm (Kuhn).
It then reaches a judgement: parts of psychology are scientific while others are not, so it is best described as a discipline with scientific aims and methods that vary by approach, and being scientific is valuable but not the only worthwhile way to understand behaviour.
Markers reward the features of science applied to approaches and a justified conclusion.
Eduqas 202110 marksOutline arguments for and against the view that psychology is a science. [10 marks]Show worked answer →
An item testing both sides (AO1/AO3).
For: psychology uses the scientific method (objective, controlled, replicable experiments) in the biological, cognitive and behaviourist approaches, and seeks general laws and falsifiable theories.
Against: the psychodynamic and some humanistic ideas are unfalsifiable and subjective; lab studies can be artificial (low ecological validity); demand characteristics and investigator effects reduce objectivity; and psychology may lack a single unifying paradigm.
A balanced answer concludes that psychology is scientific in parts but not uniformly. Markers reward developed points on both sides.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCE A Level in Psychology (A290) specification — Eduqas (2015)