Psychology as a

science and scope of

psychology
Presented by: SAMEEN FAKHAR QURESHI 09-4680
3/15/2010

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CAN PSYCHOLOGY BE A SCIENCE?
Whether or not and to what degree psychology can be ought to
be a science is more than a trivial academic disputation. In
psychology the connection between authority and scientifically
based expertise is especially close. Psychologists are everywhere
exerting considerable influence on modern life. Their claim to
authority rests upon the claim that psychology is no simply can be
or ought to be but is science.
John Stuart miller (1806-1873) was one of the most thoughtful
and forceful advocates of the scientific psychology in the 19th
century, and he carefully considered the possibility that
psychology might never achieve the same degree of
sophistication and precision as physics. The number of forces that
affect the subject matter are at most four (gravity,
electromagnetism, strong and weak nuclear forces), while the
number of human motives is large and unknown. The basic
particles that make up all physical objects number somewhat
more than a dozen and have the same character throughout the
universe, while no two humans are alike and we are affected by
historical and cultural context that have no parallel in nature.
Physical things do not know that we are studying them while
human behavior might change in case they know they are being
observed. More over the very existence of a discipline of
psychology may alter human behavior. As we learn the causes
and mechanism of human reaction and action, we can reflect on
them, perhaps weakening the hold they have on us. Electrons and
sofas can’t read physics texts and decide on whether to
cooperate on the laws of nature.
Such considerations suggest at least that psychology is much
more complex science than physics, perhaps so complex that no

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amount of research, statistics or sophisticated theorizing can take
it to the same stage of scientific perfection as physics.

Mill thought that taking psychology as a science, people could be

studied scientifically, and that study might bear useful fruit.
Psychologists use scientific observation and research
methods (a systematic process for answering questions) to
answer questions about behavior. They use the same
methodology of changing variables; dependant and independent,
as for carrying out scientific experiments. Critical thinking is
also a tool in finding out answers to the questions that are left
unanswered that is the ability to think, evaluate, compare,
analyze, critique and synthesize information.
Substantiating the same argument, the largest branch of
psychology is clinical psychology, concerned with diagnosis and
treatment of mental and behavioral disorders, is taught in
university; the clinical psychologist is trained as scientists first
and healers second, granting them PhD. degree.

APPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY:
Applied psychology refers to the use of psychological principles
and research methods to solve practical problems. The largest
applied areas are clinical and counseling psychology, but there
are many others. In fields as diverse as business, education,
sports, law and the environment, psychology is being applied to
our lives.

• Industrial –organizational psychology:

They study the behavior of people at work. Very likely their
efforts will affect how you will be selected for a job, tested,

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 trained or evaluated for promotion. They are employed by
the government, industry and businesses for:
I. Testing and placement.
II. Human relations at work.

This is done by job analysis; a detailed description of the

nature of the job. Interviews are conducted to have an
idea of the personality of the candidate and to check how
capable he is. They often conduct aptitude test to rate a
person’s potential to learn tasks or skills used in various
occupations.

• Management psychology:
This involves the strategies that the management takes in
order to keep the workforce motivated. Fredrick Taylor’s
theory, scientific management uses time and motion
studies, task analysis, job specialization ,assembly lines, pay
schedules, and , and the like to increase productivity.
Psychological efficiency refers to maintaining good
morale, labor relations, employee satisfaction, and similar
aspects of work behavior. This is done by participative
management, involving all levels of employees directly in
the decisions taken by the firm. Management by
objectives is assigning goals to the employees to analyze
their performance.

• Environmental psychology:
It’s the study of the impact of environment (physical and
social) on the human behavior. Psychologists have found
that a variety of environmental factors influence the amount
of vandalism that occurs in public places. On the basis of
research, many architects now “harden” and “de-
opportunism” public settings to discourage vandalism and
graffiti. This also involves reducing the impact of those

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 elements that cause stress like crowding, work overload,
noise pollution.

• Educational psychology:
It seeks to understand how people lean and how the
teachers instruct. This helps to design such activities that
could help teachers instruct the students in such a way that
they understand easily and store it in their memories.

• Psychology and law:

Jury trials are often the most exciting studies in human
behavior. Does the defendant’s appearance affect the jury’s
decision? Do the personality characteristics or attitudes of
juror’s influence how they vote? These and many more
questions have been investigated by psychologist interested
in law. Therefore, the psychology of law is the study of the
behavioral dimensions of the legal system.
This study helps to choose the jury that’s unbiased and will
give verdict on the basis of the evidence and supporting
details.
Psychologist evaluate people for sanity hearings, do
counseling in prisons, advice lawmakers on public policy,
help select and train police cadets and more.

• Sports psychology:
It’s the study of behavioral dimensions of sports
performance. As almost all serious athletes soon learn, peak
performance requires more than physical training. Mental
and emotional” conditioning” are also important.
Recognizing this fact, many teams, both professional and
amateur, now include psychologists on their staffs. On any
given day, a sports psychologist might teach an athlete how
to relax, how to cope with emotions. The sports psychologist
might also provide personal counseling for performance-
lowering stresses and conflicts. Other psychologists are
interested in studying factors that affect athletic
achievement, such as skill learning, the personality profiles

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of champion athletes, the effects of spectators and related
topics.

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 References:
• Introduction to psychology, gateways to mind and behavior
by Dennis coon, john o. mitterer.
• History of psychology, main currents in psychological
thought by Thomas hardy leathey.