8
Experimental psychologists have devised a variety of ways to indirectly measure these
elusive phenomenological entities.
Divisions still exist within the field, with some psychologists more oriented towards the
unique experiences of individual humans, which cannot be understood only as data points
within a larger population. Critics inside and outside the field have argued that mainstream
psychology has become increasingly dominated by a "cult of empiricism" which limits the
scope of its study by using only methods derived from the physical sciences.[65] Feminist
critiques along these lines have argued that claims to scientific objectivity obscure the values
and agenda of (historically mostly male)[35] researchers. Jean Grimshaw, for example,
argues that mainstream psychological research has advanced a patriarchal agenda through
its efforts to control behavior
Psychology as a Science,
The psychology of science is a branch of the studies of science that includes philosophy of
science, history of science, and sociology of science or sociology of scientific knowledge.
The psychology of science is defined most simply as the scientific study of scientific thought
or behavior. Some key figures currently in the psychology of science are William Brewer,
Kevin Dunbar, Gregory Feist, Michael Gorman, David Klahr, Barbara Kosloswki, Deanna
Kuhn, Sofia Liberman, Dean Keith Simonton, Will Shadish, Frank Sulloway, Paul Thagard,
Ryan Tweney, Ron Westrum, and Wendy Parker.
The psychology of science applies methods and theory from psychology to the analysis of
scientific thought and behavior, each of which is defined both narrowly and broadly.
Narrowly defined, "science" refers to thought and behavior of professional scientists and
technologists. More broadly defined, "science" refers to thought and behavior of any one
(present or past) of any age engaged in theory construction, learning scientific or
mathematical concepts, model building, hypothesis testing, scientific reasoning, problem
finding or solving, or creating or working on technology. Indeed, mathematical, engineering,
and invention activities are included in both the broader and narrower definitions as well. The
methods of psychology that are applied to the study of scientific thought and behavior range
from psych historical, psych biographical, observational, descriptive, correlational, and
experimental techniques.
The psychology of science has well-established literatures in most every subfield of
psychology, including but not limited to: neuroscience, development, and cognition, and
personality, motivation, social, industrial/organizational, and clinical. Feast’s recent book The
Psychology of Science and the Origins of the Scientific Mind reviews and integrates much of
this literature. How scientific concepts are learned is a major topic for the psychology of
science education.
In 2006 the first scientific society for the psychology of science was founded in Zacatecas,
Mexico, The International Society for the Psychology of Science and Technology (ISPST).
Members of ISPST are psychologists and other scholars who study any form of scientific or
technological thought or behavior, either narrowly or broadly defined. One goal of the society
is to promote the application of psychology to the study of thought and behavior in science