Is Psychological Methodology Rigorous?

For

• Many Psychologists (Behaviourist, Cognitive, Social and Physiological) attempt to conduct research in controlled laboratory environments. They use objective methods that are free from bias. Their procedure is standardised.

• Psychological experimental research, like other scientific research, involves the manipulation of one variable (the independent variable) and the measure of another variable (the dependent variable) to establish cause and effect.

• Control groups are often used. These control groups are not exposed to the manipulation of the independent variable providing a comparison group and a higher level of control

Against

• Many Psychologists would argue that the use of rigorous methodology is unsuitable for the study of the human mind.

• Some Psychologists use unscientific methods to conduct research. The use of more qualitativ,e methods such as the case study, can lack scientific rigour.

• Some Psychological research has been criticised for lacking validity and from being subject to experimenter bias.