Sorry State of Psychology: NOTHING AGREED! (38th Global Psychiatry & Mental Health Conference)
Channel: Prof. Sam Vaknin
Date: 2021-02-27

Psychologists cannot agree on even the most basic things, psychology can never be a science.

Dualism vs. Monism

The mind and the body are two separate entities (though in constant interaction via various mechanisms and pathways); 

OR

The mind is nothing but an emergent phenomenon, a manifestation of, emanation from or a mislabeling of physiological processes and qualities. Psychology should be a branch of neuroscience or medicine (medicalization of psychology).

Innate vs. Stimuli-driven

All psychological traits, processes are innate and autonomous; 

OR

Psychological processes are triggered by and psychological traits are shaped and conditioned by stimuli from the environment.

Nature vs. Nurture

Genes and evolution determine one’s psychological make-up and modus operandi; 

OR

One’s psychology is decided by one’s upbringing, human milieu, and personal history.

Reductionist vs. Holistic

Psychology can be analytically reduced to a set of interacting, distinct, atom-like components or constructs; 

OR

One’s psychology is the complex, irreducible outcome of shape-shifting network of ceaseless interactions, the synergy of extensive and intensive qualities, parameters of action, boundary conditions.

Fixed vs. Plastic (Childhood vs. Lifespan, Determined vs. Mutable)

At a certain age, one’s psychology becomes an immutable fixture, subject only to minor, almost imperceptible modifications; 

OR

One’s brain is plastic and reprogrammable from cradle to grave and that, therefore, one’s psychological settings and proceedings are constantly evolving and changing throughout the lifespan.

Static vs. Dynamic (Objective vs. Subjective)

Psychological reactions and processes are rigid and set, allowing for well-demarcated diagnoses based on sharply-delineated clinical entities which are subject to the scientific method; 

OR

Psychology is a narrative, fuzzy, impressionistic, ever-evolving, and somewhat “artistic”. Diagnosis and treatment require human contact and interaction, mostly subjective and emotional.

Process vs. Behavior

Psychological processes constantly occur in the mind and underlie behaviors, cognitions, and choices and that they can be subject to meaningful and informed introspection; 

OR

Since we can never, in principle observe or measure inner processes in the mind (the intersubjective agreement is not falsifiable), we should only monitor, observe, and analyze behaviors.

Categorical vs. Dimensional

Human behaviors, both normal and pathological (aberrant), can be categorized, distinguished, and demarcated with a minimum of ambiguity and overlap; 

OR

Human behaviors constitute a spectrum and can be described only using interacting multi-purpose dimensions.

Statistical-Normal vs. Descriptive-Spectrum

Human behaviors cluster around a mean or average which constitutes “normalcy”; 

OR

All human behaviors, preferences, drives, urges, traits, and orientations are “normal” (though they may be socially unacceptable or even illegal) and are part of a spectrum, even when there is only anecdotal evidence for their existence.

Analogous vs. Standalone

Modelling human psychology by using analogies to various technologies provides real, testable insights into the human mind; 

OR

The human mind and its products are sui generis and cannot be studied by analogy. Getting to know the mind requires its own models and theories, independent of models and theories in other fields of science and knowledge.

Occult (Multipartite) vs. Overt (Monolithic)

The human mind is comprised of several interacting parts, some of which are accessible trivially while the awareness to and knowledge of other parts require special efforts and knowledge; 

OR

The mind is a monolithic, indivisible “black box”, which can be observed and analysed only via its effects on the world and interactions with reality.

Mechanical vs. Stochastic/Emergent

The mind is a machine which, like other machines, is subject to the laws of Nature and can be deciphered and contextualized objectively and even mathematically; 

OR

The mind is a cloud, the emergent outcome of numerous intertwined and fuzzy processes in constantly self-assembling and redundant networks and that the underlying math is stochastic rather than deterministic.

Theoretical vs. Experimental

Psychology is a philosophy of the mind, not a rigorous science and that, consequently, it cannot be falsified and the results of its experiments cannot be repeated or replicated.

OR

Psychology is a science whose theories can yield falsifiable predictions and whose experiments are repeatable and replicable.

Reactive vs. Teleological 

Behaviors are reactions to external stimuli; 

OR 

Behaviors are goal-oriented and are selected or deselected by their familiar or anticipated consequences. 

Nomothetic vs. Idiographic 

Theories that study populations based on analyses of test results vs. theories that study individuals in depth with interviews and psychological tests.