Psychology and science: 6 keys to identify pseudoscientific products
Science is a beacon in the fog of random noise
-Nassim Taleb
Surely, when they navigate through the "information monster", the Internet, they will have realized that when they search for topics related to psychology or other sciences, there are always several documents related to things like psychoanalysis, aromatherapy, constellations, psychomagy. , conspiracy theories ... and that, of course, people who know nothing about psychology, science, who lack common sense and even professionals and students in training fall into the networks of the tempting "pseudoscience" .
For this reason and to clear up doubts about this matter, I have decided to publish this article on some tips and definitions that will help us determine what to trust and what not to do.
In search of reliable sources of information
To begin I want to mention, the work of the American philosopher Charles Sanders Pierce when classifying four methods of setting beliefs [1]. The first of this is the authority method , in which the simplest way to fix a belief is to believe blindly in a person's word without questioning it; an example could be the setting of religious beliefs.
The second method is that of tenacity , this consists in clinging to a stereotype, even in the presence of a good counterexample; This method is observed in fanatical racists.
The third is the a priori method It refers to a belief in which no reference or analysis is made to accept it. Finally, there is the method that is the only valid form of accepted knowledge, the scientific method (Kantowitz, RoedigerIII, & Elmes, 2011, Kerlinger & Lee, 2002) which is defined as a serial process by which the sciences obtain answers to his questions (McGuigan, 2011), and that he has the characteristic of self-correction and, therefore, "has intrinsic verification points along the entire path of scientific knowledge." These controls are conceived and used in a way that guides and verifies scientific activities and conclusions in order to be able to depend ... "(Kerlinger & Lee, 2002).
Keys to detect texts or pseudoscientific articles
Having already clarified the ways in which we set our beliefs about something, we can say that there are some theories that "disguise" science when they are not, but how to avoid them?
Next it will be given a list of some tips to avoid falling into the trap of some charlatans:
1. Make sure the source is reliable
Check that what you are reading or consuming for some means of communication have valid and reliable sources of consultation . For example, articles peer reviewed published in indexed scientific journals (since for an article to be published it has to go through several processes of validity and reliability), citations of important people in the scientific field ...
2. Get rid of the confirmation bias
Do not fall into a confirmation bias. Do not believe everything you think, what the other thinks, is more, better do not believe and ask everything . People, by psychological principles always seek to confirm our ideas (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2016).
3. Rely on numbers rather than beliefs
Think focusing on statistical data, rather than intuitively or based on one's own experience . The reality is much wider than what one lives or believes to perceive. Many times we ignore the logical reasoning to pay more attention to what dictates common sense.
4. Remember: not all factors are easily explained
Not everything has a meaning or easily identifiable causes that can be reduced to a simple statement of the type "homosexuality is produced by abuse in childhood." Actually, all phenomena are multi-causal , although certain variables have a greater importance than others and their study allows to better predict what will happen.
5. Validity
Remember that science, to be able to be called like that, has to meet certain criteria and one of them is the validity, which is the degree to which something, an instrument or method actually measures the variable that is being measured.
6. Reliability
This concept is, together with the previous one, very important and refers to the degree to which a measuring instrument or therapy method ... produce produces consistent results and coherent.
In conclusion, remember, the next time you consume some product of the "true psychology", which only to remember is the scientific study of the mind, brain and behavior, keep all these tips in mind and avoid being cheated by charlatans. All products, in the media, on the internet or on television, place it under the microscope of science , search if there are articles that meet strict publication criteria and reliable sources and avoid being cheated.
Bibliographic references:
- Gazzaniga, M.S., Heatherton, T. F., & Halpern, D. F. (2016). Psychological Science. United States of America: W.W.NORTON.
- Kantowitz, B. H., RoedigerIII, H.L., & Elmes, D.G. (2011). Experimental psychology Mexico: CENGAGE Learning.
- Kerlinger, F. N., & Lee, H. B. (2002). Behavioral research Mexico: McGrawHill.
- McGuigan, F. J. (2011). Experimental psychology. Mexico: Trillas.
[1] For more information on the four methods, refer to the references of Experimental Psychology by Barry H. Kantowitz, p. 6-8 and Research on the behavior of Fred N. Kerlinger. P. 6-7.
