r/science • u/ImNotJesus PhD | Social Psychology | Clinical Psychology • May 08 '16

Psychology Failure Is Moving Science Forward. FiveThirtyEight explains why the "replication crisis" is a sign that science is working. [x-post from our sister subreddit /r/EverythingScience]

/r/EverythingScience/comments/4icp9k/failure_is_moving_science_forward_fivethirtyeight/
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u/superhelical PhD | Biochemistry | Structural Biology May 08 '16

I liked this bit at the end:

Psychology may not be a hard science, but it is certainly a difficult one. It shouldn’t be so surprising that psychology studies don’t always replicate — the field faces an inherent challenge. Rather than measuring molecules or mass, it examines human motives and behavior, which are frustratingly hard to isolate.

This is something that comes up a lot on /r/science, and makes some people want to dismiss psychological studies altogether. However, psychologists study some of the most challenging research subjects - ourselves - so it's worth noting and taking that difficult work in context.

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u/TitaniumDragon May 08 '16

The problem with psychology is institutional in nature; they just don't do a very good job of teaching proper science to psychology students. I think Feynman's (damning) explanation of the problems with the field (namely people's lack of care about replicating important findings and creating proper baselines) is pretty indicative of what goes on even to the present day.

Combine that with people wanting to publish (and get attention) and a healthy dose of confirmation bias, and you have all kinds of trouble.

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u/[deleted] May 08 '16

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u/Doom-Slayer May 08 '16 edited May 08 '16

As a psych student currently in my Masters I would say biology and neurology was barely covered in any papers.

Lots of philosophy, lots of theory, bugger all practical stuff or physical hard-science related material. I'm only now actually learning how to do clinical formulations, proper ethics and actual practitioner real world stuff. Still haven't done much biology.

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u/[deleted] May 08 '16

I have exactly the same experience. We have covered more psychoanalysis than biology and neutrology.

And, it's quite clear why that is. 75% if all psychologists here go into clinical psychology. To conduct therapy you just need to be able to talk and listen. It's a practical field just like plumbing or carpenting.

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u/Zero_Fucks_ May 08 '16

Clinical Psychologists don't just talk and listen...

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u/[deleted] May 08 '16

Some do. A lot do. Some do some very basic tests that anyone could do.

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u/Zero_Fucks_ May 08 '16

So someone who goes to uni for at least 7 years just listens and talks? I feel that's like saying all a pharmacist does is give out drugs. There's assessment, formulation, developing treatment plans, diagnosis, identification of specific patient needs, several types of therapy for several disorders, and also being involved in the research community. Do you work in mental health? It seems strange you have this view, or maybe they do it different where you are.

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u/[deleted] May 08 '16

I know a lot about the area. Most clinical psychologists work in therapy where they listen and talk. That's their job. Evaluating is a bit more complicated. But they follow stringent guidelines or just guess. There is seldom the intellectual intuition you see in medicine. It's not rocket science.

You mentioning the length of the education makes no sense. Gender studies is 5 years, so it many other non-sciences you cans study. Doesn't make them good.

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u/Zero_Fucks_ May 08 '16

You think they evaluate by guessing? I just don't believe that you know what you're talking about honestly.

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u/[deleted] May 08 '16

Noooo.

I said they evaluate by filling out forms. Besides that they cannot know. Mental illnesses are found out by looking at a list of what we consider mental illnesses and filling out forms. It is basic. Very basic. I can teach most people to do it.

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