This Nicolosi article quotes a senior member of the APA, who asserted, "When we speak in the name of psychology we are to speak only from facts and clinical expertise,' he explained. If psychology speaks out on every social issue, 'very soon the public will see us as a discredited organization -- just another opinionated voice shouting and shouting.'" (Nicolosi, p. 1)
Quite indeed, the biggest challenge facing psychology's credibility is the invasion of political motive. The Nicolosi article indicates that, for instance, the highly charged debate over gay marriage has penetrated the field of psychology and that both sides of the debate are guilty of experimental subversion in the interest of political objective. Regardless of the social importance of such political objectives as advancing civil rights, we can see that the aims of psychology are undermined by the deprivation of properly controlled research.
On my own career path, I intend to take as much direct action...
One of the most salient measures that a psychologist can take is to base all of his work, and particularly his or her conclusions or findings, in the methodology befitting of true psychological and scientific processes. This means utilizing empirical evidence and evidence-based practices to substantiate findings before publicizing any sorts of claims surrounding their implications. This sort of testing (which author Scott Lillenfeld wrote the public believes is
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now