Is psychology really scientific?
Answering the question “Is Psychology Scientific?” requires an understanding of both what scientists have studied through science about the physiological functioning of the human brain as well as what psychologists observe through the study of behavioral actions.
There is no question, however, that the brain is a complicated organ which has long been considered so complex that even today it is still poorly understood.
Why, after so many decades, are we still bewildered about how the “human brain” works? What is it that we haven’t studied enough?
The scientific study of the brain has focused mainly on the mechanics of the organ as it relates to our anatomy and physiology. Whereas the psychological study of the brain is the observation of our behaviors and how we react to our surroundings at any given time. Emotions such as anger, happiness, sadness as well as mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and neurosis just to name a few are an indication that brain function is made up of more than just the mechanical aspects of the brain.
How the mechanical functioning of the brain interacts with the behavioral functioning is the real question. Understanding what the brain is doing when we act in certain ways is a question that has perplexed the scientific community for decades. The brain uses a set of cognitive processes related to perception, interpretation, imagination, memories, and crucially language which a person may or may not be aware. Medical scientists such as psychiatrists study how the brain works physiologically, while psychologists study how we behave.
I believe that instead of looking at the physiological and behavioral functioning of the brain as being two different processes, we should instead consider the fact that they must work together. For example, when an individual is acting out with depression or mood swings, we see that more often than not they are diagnosed with a mental condition. However, there are physical ailments that can cause such behavior and symptoms. For example, thyroid disease can be one. More often than not it is the last thing a physician will look at when an abnormal behavior is exhibited in a person.
When an individual is exhibiting behavioral issues, it would be best to combine the physiological and the behavioral aspects to better consider what is ailing a person.
Looking at all aspects of the physiological functioning of the brain as well as the emotional functioning is the key to understanding how we behave and how better to cure an ill person. When you look at all aspects of what makes up our behavior you will see that it is more complicated than just the physiological or behavioral components alone.
