Naked Science Forum
General Science => General Science => Topic started by: Joe L. Ogan on 10/10/2010 18:29:52
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Is Psychology a voodoo science? Is there any proof that they have ever helped anyone? If you have a criminal in court, one may easily find a psychiatrist that will state that the person is mentally impaired and that is what caused him to commit a crime. If one is willing to spend the money, one may find another psychiatrist to testify that the criminal is sane and has just committed a crime because he is a criminal. Has any psychologist ever dismissed a patient because he is curred? I do not want this subject put in the psychology area because I do not believe that I will get any scientific opinions. Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
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"I do not want this subject put in the psychology area because I do not believe that I will get any scientific opinions."
then take you question to a philosophy forum?
Do you think psychology is a voodoo science?
Considering what we don't know about human nature it's not an exact science.. in that I don't think there is a 'formula' for a bell curve. But that doesn't make it voodoo. Much like we don't have all the answers about space, but getting a shuttle to the moon isn't voodoo...
I'm not sure psychologists use the word 'cured' I believe they don't offer cures but ways to cope with the 'issues' .
If one is willing to spend the money one could find a lawyer/cop/family friend/'expert eye witness' to help them in a court, although, the justice system depends on expert witnesses to be professional..
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Is Psychology a voodoo science? Is there any proof that they have ever helped anyone? If you have a criminal in court, one may easily find a psychiatrist that will state that the person is mentally impaired and that is what caused him to commit a crime. If one is willing to spend the money, one may find another psychiatrist to testify that the criminal is sane and has just committed a crime because he is a criminal. Has any psychologist ever dismissed a patient because he is curred? I do not want this subject put in the psychology area because I do not believe that I will get any scientific opinions. Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
defined? Psycologists and psychiatrists aren't they both have seperate practices?
Psycology observes particular causes and affects?
Phyciatry observes the reasons why particular causes produce the certain affects, and provide manipulation procedure to get a certain affect?
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I do not know what you mean by your question. As far as I know, the application of psychology is the same with anyone who is in the psychological field. Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
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Hi Joe,
It's clear psychology generally tries to follow the scientific method and produce reproducible results, so in that sense it's scientific. Maybe it would help if you described the distinction between science and "voodoo" science?
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... I don't think there is a 'formula' for a bell curve.
Herr Gauss would disagree ...
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaussian_function
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:)
I don't think there is a formula for a (psychology) bell curve.
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Is Psychology a voodoo science? Is there any proof that they have ever helped anyone? If you have a criminal in court, one may easily find a psychiatrist that will state that the person is mentally impaired and that is what caused him to commit a crime. If one is willing to spend the money, one may find another psychiatrist to testify that the criminal is sane and has just committed a crime because he is a criminal. Has any psychologist ever dismissed a patient because he is curred? I do not want this subject put in the psychology area because I do not believe that I will get any scientific opinions. Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
Why not read up a bit on psychology first....then form a more structured view.
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"You remind me of a man."
"What man?"
"The man with the power."
"What power?"
"The power of hoo-doo."
"Hoo-doo?"
"You do!"
"Do what?"
"You remind me of a man!"
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Is Psychology a voodoo science? Is there any proof that they have ever helped anyone? If you have a criminal in court, one may easily find a psychiatrist that will state that the person is mentally impaired and that is what caused him to commit a crime. If one is willing to spend the money, one may find another psychiatrist to testify that the criminal is sane and has just committed a crime because he is a criminal. Has any psychologist ever dismissed a patient because he is curred? I do not want this subject put in the psychology area because I do not believe that I will get any scientific opinions. Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
Why not read up a bit on psychology first....then form a more structured view.
I have studied a great deal of psychology through abnormal psychology. That is why, the more that I study, the less that I think it is a pure scientific endeavor. I know that the people in psychology are quite adept at making one think that they are receiving quality treatment but the more that I think about it, the less I am impressed! Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
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"You remind me of a man."
"What man?"
"The man with the power."
"What power?"
"The power of hoo-doo."
"Hoo-doo?"
"You do!"
"Do what?"
"You remind me of a man!"
http://www.carygrant.net/wavs/bachelor/bbsoxgreetLG.wav
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Is Psychology a voodoo science?
Acupuncture is: they've just cut out the middle man doll. [:)]
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Psychology and psychiatry are different practices.
Your argument that anyone who has committed a crime can find someone to diagnose them with a mental illness is ridiculous and completely untrue.
Educate yourself before posting such ill-informed arguments.
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Now, who is being naive? Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
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one may easily find a psychiatrist that will state that the person is mentally impaired and that is what caused him to commit a crime.
As a retired member of a Criminal Justice Mental Health Team I can say from experience that it would be an unusual psychiatrist (at least, in the UK)who would categorically state that a person's mental illness caused him/her to commit a crime. However, there are conditions which might at times be linked to certain types of offence.
There is another thread on this forum that looks at the difference between correlation and causation. It is an important distinction.
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As a retired member of a Criminal Justice Mental Health Team
Wow - someone else on NSF who knows what the M'Naghten rules are! I thought I was the only refugee from criminal justice on the boards (my interests were only academic rather than professional/practical) so had decided that a brief summary of the ridiculous complexity of the insanity defence and unfitness to plead was unwarranted.
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There seems to be some confusion between psychology as a clinical practice and psychological science. Psychological research studies such topics as the behavior of humans and their institutions, child development, and animal behavior. Clinical psychology, like medical practice, is not a science. Psychological research is most definitely science.
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Psychological research is most definitely science.
What about sociology, though? I like the definition: "the study of people who don't need studying, by people who do!
OK, I know that's off subject. [:P]
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A lot of diverse fields are lumped together here.
Experimental Psychology is the study of people, and their interaction with the environment. Have they truly helped anybody... I would imagine they influence product design, product safety, understanding of physical limits such as reaction times, education, etc. They help answer the question "Who are we".
There are some very disturbed patients that need long-term Psychiatrist care. In the USA we depend heavily on drugs, but perhaps there is also a need for some counseling.
Are people ever "cured"? I don't know. Would you consider an alcoholic that has been dry for a decade cured? Most of the successful ex-alcoholics realize that the underlying urges remain with them for the entire lives.
Schizophrenia or severe bipolar disease might be able to be controlled, but never cured.
Now, there are some people that depend far too much on counselors, when they probably don't need it, or don't need to be paying hundreds of dollars an hour for it. And as a society we may wish to label too many things. Are our children in the "norm"? If not, should they be cured?
As far as the legal system. The sad truth is that many of our inmates have severe psychiatric disorders. And some end up in our prison system because they have troubles integrating into society. Is the insanity defense valid? Perhaps in a few limited cases a psychiatric hospital would be a better place to treat severely disturbed patients than prisons.
Why do we call our Prison System "Correctional Institutions" anyway? Face it... people are seeking retribution rather than reforming. What we really need are institutions that work on reformation.
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Well, the harder the punishment the harder the criminals I guess?
As society bring on harder restrictions.
And I agree, prison is society's revenge. Haven't seen that much 'reformed' criminals :)
It becomes a lifestyle for some.
And the only difference I know when it comes to psychiatrists versus psychologists is that a psychologist primary orientation is the 'mind' and a psychiatrists have this body/mind image, which I expect to make 'medicine' an easier solution for them?
As for how scientific it is?
Don't have a clue? It's about human relations, and they differ as the definitions, from country to country. But you have to remember that every country seem to make do with what they have, so?
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There is one thing though. Some believes in the behavioristic model (Skinner) And some don't. The behavioristic school sees you like a machine, programmed into certain behaviors and responses. That one is easier to model theoretically as it 'measures', but it reminds me of Pavlov's dogs, salivating at a bell. And Skinner locked his daughter into a soundproof box when she had tantrums :) I wonder what she thought about 'dad' as she grow up?
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you might be interested in this: http://www.amazon.com/Science-Pseudoscience-Clinical-Psychology-Lilienfeld/dp/1572308281
I enjoyed it.