Have Students Sell Themselves on the Value of Research

Students often have doubts about the value of science to psychology. One approach to dealing with this resistance is to have students themselves generate arguments in response to common questions about the relationship between psychology and science. In addition to the possibility that they may persuade themselves, this exercise may also help them better represent psychology to the general population. Therefore, you may decide that students should (in pairs) fill out the following table.

Notes: You may want to use a different set of objections. Students should be able to address these particular objections if you give the following lecture.

Objection Reply to the Objection

Psychology isn't a science because psychologists don't know everything.

Psychology isn't a science because people change over time.

Psychology isn't a science because rules of behavior do not apply to everyone.

Psychology isn't a science because psychologists can't perfectly predict human behavior.

Psychology can't be a science because we can't observe thoughts.

Psychology shouldn't be a science because many things should be left a mystery.

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Objection	Reply to the Objection
Psychology isn't a science because psychologists don't know everything.
Psychology isn't a science because people change over time.
Psychology isn't a science because rules of behavior do not apply to everyone.
Psychology isn't a science because psychologists can't perfectly predict human behavior.
Psychology can't be a science because we can't observe thoughts.
Psychology shouldn't be a science because many things should be left a mystery.