4.8 • +11k Ratings
Save
Print
Edit
Paradigms in psychology are standard perspectives and concepts that concern theories and research methods. Essentially, research paradigms are a way of looking at something. Although psychologists may take different standpoints of the ‘best’ approach to take when investigating psychological phenomena, they typically agree that theories/hypotheses should be testable and able to be proven wrong. This is known as the theory of falsifiability.
In terms of psychology research, paradigms are the generally accepted perspective of investigating a phenomenon during the current zeitgeist.
Zeitgeist: the spirit concerning ideas and beliefs during a certain time of history.
According to Kuhn, the purpose of a paradigm is to provide researchers with a theoretical framework (the conceptual scheme). This framework provides guidelines for assumptions, concepts, and methodological techniques that a researcher should keep in mind when conducting research. It also provides a general consensus of the direction and goals that research should follow.
Throughout the history of psychology, there have been changes in the predominant paradigm. Kuhn’s work explained the link between paradigms and the progression of research. He proposed that researchers agree on a paradigm based on the zeitgeist. The intellectual and cultural spirit during a given period means that some theories are accepted and some rejected.
However, when there are anomalies or inexplicable results, this causes a ‘crisis.’ As the predominant paradigm can’t explain these results, there is a paradigm shift (a paradigm is replaced with a new one.) The time during the paradigm shift is called a ‘scientific revolution.’ These shifts are what allow for psychology to progress.
An example of a paradigm shift in Psychology is the emergence of the behavioural approach in the 1900s. This paradigm appeared because previous psychology approaches were unable to test hypotheses experimentally. There had been previous research that had taken a behaviourist approach. However, it was rejected when it was published due to the time’s zeitgeist.
Since its emergence as a science, psychology has had different disciplines which gone through the process of acceptance or rejection. We can think of the accepted disciplines as paradigms that were used during those periods. Let’s discuss some paradigms that are prominent in this current zeitgeist.
Cognitive psychologists believe that behaviour and psychological illnesses are a consequence of internal cognitive processes. They take an information processing approach to explain human behaviour. For them, similar to computers, humans receive inputted information which is then processed leading to an outcome (i.e. behaviour.)
Cognitive psychologists argue that humans use pre-existing schemas to interpret a situation and respond to stimuli. This is known as cognitive appraisal. Maladaptive appraisals can cause psychological illnesses.
Schema: mental structure of knowledge used to facilitate cognitive processes and behaviours.
Behavioural psychologists agree that the environment and human experience are what shape human behaviour and what causes psychological illnesses.
Some examples of learning methods that behavioural psychologists describe are:
Modelling: imitating the behaviour of role models.
Classical conditioning: this is when people form associations between a stimulus and a response, causing them to repeat actions that evoke the stimulus and therefore the associated response.
This can cause maladaptive behaviour. For example, phobias.
Operant conditioning: when behaviours change via positive or negative reinforcement. For example, if a parent praises their child for doing their homework they are more likely to do it again.
The consensus of this paradigm is to measure biological, physiological, and genetic factors or variables and establish a cause and effect relationship between these and behaviour.
Factors that may influence behaviour and illnesses include:
Genes: offspring inherit genes from their parents so they may inherit illnesses or gene mutations.
Irregularities or differences in brain functions: genetic or physical trauma may cause people to act differently. They may also cause illnesses.
Chemical reactions: certain chemical issues in the body can explain behaviours. For example, a hormone imbalance, or neurotransmitters dysfunction. High levels of testosterone have been linked to aggressiveness.
Psychodynamic psychologists argue that the inner battle between aspects of the human personality is what causes human behaviour. Some of their theories include:
Psychosexual stages (stages that a child goes through to develop their personality). Late development or fixating in any of the stages can affect behaviour and psychological well-being.
There are three parts of the personality (psyche) that are in a constant conflict:
The id: impulsive desires.
The ego: tries to balance the id and prevent giving into temptations by rationalising with potential punishments that may occur as a result of the impulsive desires.
The superego: this part of the psyche is responsible for emotions involving guilt and regret.
Maladaptive behaviour happens when the ego and superego can’t combat the id and humans give in to their impulsive desires.
Karl Popper, the philosopher behind the theory of falsifiability, proposed that theories or hypotheses should be testable and able to be proven wrong. For instance, they should be observable and able to be tested via experimental or observational methods.
This means that hypotheses based on subjective opinions such as ‘vanilla ice cream is tastier than chocolate ice cream,’ can’t be regarded as falsifiable. This is because the results will always be different when tested on a different sample and findings will be non-generalisable.
Examples of falsifiability include:
A hypothesis that can be proven: the relationship between caffeine intake prior to a test and memory recall.
A hypothesis that can’t be proven: unicorns are magical creatures.
The theory of falsifiability argues that:
Researchers’ perspectives and understandings influence their observations. Popper argued that the world is ‘theory-laden’ and we use these theories to understand and explain our observations.
Research should take a deductive approach: using deductive logic, a researcher’s role is to provide support or to reject theories.
One of Popper’s examples was how most swans in Europe were white. Using inductive reasoning, Europeans assumed that all swans were white. However, after exploring Australia, where they saw black swans, they deduced that not all swans are white.
If a falsifiable theory is tested and yields significant results, then it’s accepted as scientific evidence. The current paradigm can largely impact if a theory is accepted as scientific evidence or not.
Strength: the theory is realistic as it proposes that hypotheses can’t be 100% proven.
Weakness: it is difficult to know when to draw the line. Does one observation disprove a whole theory? How many observations are required to disprove a theory?
Paradigms are a scientific and philosophical concept which entails standard perspectives and concepts concerning theories and research methods.
The theory of falsifiability is a theory that proposes hypotheses should be testable and able to be proven wrong. They should be observable and able to be tested via experimental/observational methods.
Paradigms are a group of theories or perspectives used to explain a specific subject. Essentially, this means that paradigms are a way of looking at something.
The four predominant paradigms during the current intellectual and cultural zeitgeist are cognitive psychology, biological approach to psychology, behavioural approach to psychology, and the psychodynamic approach to psychology.
Psychologists who take a behavioural approach to understand psychology, explain behaviour in terms of learning via different methods, such as modelling, classical conditioning, or reinforcement.
60%
of the users don't pass the Paradigms and Falsifiability quiz! Will you pass the quiz?
Start Quiz
Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan.
Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes.
Create and find flashcards in record time.
Create beautiful notes faster than ever before.
Have all your study materials in one place.
Upload unlimited documents and save them online.
Identify your study strength and weaknesses.
Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them.
Stop procrastinating with our study reminders.
Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying.
Create flashcards in notes completely automatically.
Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates.
Sign up to highlight and take notes. It’s 100% free.
