Investigating Psychology

Investigating Psychology uses a small selection of classic studies to introduce students to a variety of research methods used by psychologists and to the different approaches to the study of mind and behaviour: the emphasis is on how psychologists carry out their investigations and why.

Originally published in 1991, the essays in this volume are written by philosophers who were convinced that Wittgenstein’s investigations in philosophical psychology were of direct relevance to current experimental psychology at the time. Rather than reflecting on the nature of psychological theory at a high level of abstraction, they examined leading theories and controversies in the experimental study of vision and of language in order to reveal the conceptual problems that they raise and the philosophical theories that have exerted an influence upon them. Under the section headings ‘Language and Behaviour’ and ‘Perception and Representation’, the essays examine the work of Chomsky, Gregory, Marr, Weiskrantz and others, and discuss problems ranging from artificial intelligence to animal communications, from blindsight to machine vision. The collection aims to demonstrate that philosophical investigations can contribute to psychological science by extirpating conceptual confusions which have been woven into the fabric of empirical research. The majority of the essays had been specially commissioned, and the contributors include several of the most distinguished exponents of Wittgenstein’s philosophical legacy at the time.

A broad theory of research methodology for psychology and the behavioral sciences that offers a coherent treatment of a range of behavioral research methods. This book considers scientific method in the behavioral sciences, with particular reference to psychology. Psychologists learn about research methods and use them to conduct their research, but their training teaches them little about the nature of scientific method itself. In Investigating the Psychological World, Brian Haig fills this gap. Drawing on behavioral science methodology, the philosophy of science, and statistical theory, Haig constructs a broad theory of scientific method that has particular relevance for the behavioral sciences. He terms this account of method the abductive theory of method (ATOM) in recognition of the importance it assigns to explanatory reasoning. ATOM offers the framework for a coherent treatment of a range of quantitative and qualitative behavioral research methods, giving equal treatment to data-analytic methods and methods of theory construction. Haig draws on the new experimentalism in the philosophy of science to reconstruct the process of phenomena detection as it applies to psychology; he considers the logic and purpose of exploratory factor analysis; he discusses analogical modeling as a means of theory development; and he recommends the use of inference to the best explanation for evaluating theories in psychology. Finally, he outlines the nature of research problems, discusses the nature of the abductive method, and describes applications of the method to grounded theory method and clinical reasoning. The book will be of interest not only to philosophers of science but also to psychological researchers who want to deepen their conceptual understanding of research methods and methodological concerns.

Investigating School Psychology provides a fascinating exploration of the field of school psychology through the lens of pseudoscience and fringe science. Contributions from leaders in the fields of school psychology, clinical psychology, and education honor the role of science in the field while also exploring and guarding against the harms that pseudoscience can cause. School psychology and, more broadly, the field of education are particularly susceptible to pseudoscience, fads, and maintaining the status quo by resisting the adoption of new ideas. Using an exhaustive review of the current literature, this book discusses various concepts in school psychology that have been largely discredited and many practices that continue to exist with little to no scientific support. Each chapter helps differentiate between dubious and evidence-based approaches while providing a useful resource for practicing school psychologists and educators to distinguish between science and pseudoscience in their everyday work with children. The book’s discussion of the harmful nature of pseudoscience in school psychology is inclusive of all students, such as students with disabilities, those diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, those with academic problems, and all other children in schools. Investigating School Psychology is valuable supplemental reading in undergraduate and graduate courses in education and school psychology and is also a beneficial reference for practicing school psychologists to distinguish between science and pseudoscience in their practice.

Investigating Clinical Psychology takes a deep dive into the field of clinical psychology through the lens of pseudoscience and fringe science. An expert panel of authors honors the role of science in the field while also exploring and guarding against the harms that pseudoscience can cause. Clinicians have an ethical duty to provide the best available, evidence-based care. Engaging, accessible, and open-minded in approach, this book outlines the distinction between science and pseudoscience in order to prevent the false, and often quite harmful, effects that pseudoscientific practices can have on patients in need of mental health services. The book covers a variety of topics, including harmful therapies, purple hat therapies, animal-assisted therapies, hypnosis, and energy medicine. Featuring world-renowned voices from health care specialists to skeptics on the outside of the field gazing in, it equips readers with the skills needed to differentiate between pseudoscientific and evidence-based approaches in both study and practice. Aligning with many major undergraduate textbooks for easy course integration, Investigating Clinical Psychology is valuable supplemental reading in undergraduate and graduate courses in clinical psychology. It is also a beneficial reference for clinicians in practice, as well as anyone interested in pseudoscience within the mental health sector.

Investigating Pop Psychology provides the basic tools required to make evidence-informed decisions and thoughtfully distinguish science from pseudoscience through the application of scientific skepticism. Psychologists conduct scientific investigations into a lot of strange things including alien encounters, horoscopes, dream interpretation, superstition, and extrasensory perception (ESP). Through a digestible, open-minded format combined with relevant and topical case studies such as energy psychology, demonic possession, and horoscopes, this book offers an engaging read which encourages students to think critically about the information they are exposed to during their academic careers and beyond. By taking a fresh look into investigations regarding pseudoscience and fringe science in pop psychology, it celebrates the science of psychology while also providing warnings about the problem of pseudoscience in pop psychology. Providing tips on how to consider evidence regarding the strength of claims in pop psychology, Investigating Pop Psychology is an ideal resource for undergraduate introductory psychology students and for students studying science and pseudoscience.

The Routledge International Handbook of Legal and Investigative Psychology explores contemporary topics in psychological science, applying them to investigative and legal procedures. Written by recognized scholars from around the globe, this book brings together current research, emerging trends, and cutting-edge debates in a single comprehensive and authoritative volume. Drawing from both research and practice, this handbook highlights many important issues such as: how to investigate and prosecute rape; the value of emotional affect in homicide investigations; and factors affecting jurors’ and suspects’ decision making. By considering current research, the authors inform both legal and investigative professionals of findings that are of direct relevance to them, and the steps that can be taken to improve efficiency. This collection will inform investigative and legal professionals, advanced psychology students, academics, researchers, and policy makers. It will also be of great interest to researchers from other disciplines, including criminology, policing, and law.

In the World Library of Psychologists series, international experts present career-long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces – extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, and their major practical theoretical contributions. The Selected Works of Professor Ray Bull include some of the most influential insights into the psychology of investigative interviewing. Whether it has been determining whether a suspect is lying or telling the truth, enabling children to provide reliable testimony, or understanding how the dynamics of the interview process itself can affect what is achieved, Professor Bull has been at the forefront in researching this fascinating area of applied psychology for over 40 years, his work informing practice internationally. An elected Honorary Fellow of the British Psychological Society and the first Honorary Life Member of the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group, Professor Bull also drafted parts of the government’s Memorandum of Good Practice and of Achieving Best Evidence on Video Recorded Interviews with Child Witnesses for Criminal Proceedings. Including a specially written introduction in which Professor Bull reflects on a wide-ranging career and contextualises how the field has evolved, this collection will be a valuable resource for students and researchers of forensic psychology.