Paradigms in Psychology

Study Notes

Paul Feyerabend's horizontal line triangle illustrates that what constitutes legitimate data for one theory may not apply to another.
Theories in psychology often overlap but tend to focus on specific phenomena while ignoring others; no single theory encompasses all human behavior across different life stages.
Behaviorists generally dismiss introspective data, highlighting theory-specific limitations.
Different psychological theories compete to explain identical data sets, leading to various interpretations of the same phenomena.

Ptolemaic cosmology (Earth-centered) replaced by Copernican heliocentrism (Sun-centered).
Antoine Lavoisier's work on combustion and oxygen led to the chemical revolution, replacing the phlogiston theory.
Charles Lyell introduced uniformitarianism, supplanting catastrophism in geological science.
Charles Darwin's natural selection theory transformed the understanding of human origins against fixed views of nature.
Quantum mechanics emerged, integrating both particle and wave properties, challenging classical mechanics at microscopic levels.
Newtonian physics transitioned to Einstein's general relativity, reshaping physics viewpoints.
Alfred Wegener's theory of plate tectonics and continental drift offered new explanations for geological phenomena.

Scientific interpretation of data is influenced by theoretical contexts, which can lead to subjective biases.
Acknowledging bias is essential since humans inherently interpret data through personal perspectives; objective truth may be elusive.
Concepts like model drift (revising theoretical frameworks) and model crisis (debate between different theories) reflect ongoing shifts in understanding.
Thomas Kuhn's "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" emphasizes the impact of established paradigms in shaping scientific methods and norms.
Periods of shared beliefs in a scientific field can lead to a "normal science" phase where innovations arise from existing paradigms until a significant paradigm shift occurs.

Historiography explores how history is recorded and interpreted, leading to two approaches:
- Focus on individual contributions (old history bias).
- The influence of the zeitgeist (spirit of the times) and prevailing ideologies (new history bias).
Historical context shapes ideas; notable contributions like Darwin’s work were influenced by contemporaneous movements such as Rationalism and the Enlightenment.
Edwin G. Boring emphasized the balance between recognizing individual achievements and their historical contexts in the development of psychology.

Frank Manuel proposed two constructs for understanding history:
- Progressive view: history as a series of innovations leading to fixed or self-defining ends, akin to Jacob's Ladder from the Bible.
- Cyclical view: ideas recur without genuine progress, represented by Ixion’s Wheel in Greek mythology, reflecting a repeat of concepts.
A spiral model suggests that ideas resurface at advanced levels of understanding; modern thinkers benefit from historical knowledge accumulated over time, allowing deeper insights and broader comparisons.