Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
05:26
Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View
Published on: January 7, 2019
Unified clinical science, or paradigm diversity? Comment on Melchert (2016)
1Earlham College.
The American Psychologist
|May 9, 2017
Summary
Professional psychology may not be in a single preparadigmatic state. Instead, multiple research paradigms likely govern psychological knowledge, offering diverse insights into complex issues like violence against women.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Science
- Clinical Psychology
- Research Methodology
Background:
- Melchert (2016) proposed professional psychology is preparadigmatic, advocating for a unified clinical science based on behavioral and neurosciences, drawing from Kuhn's (1970) work.
- This perspective, however, relies on questionable assumptions regarding reducibility and overlooks key elements of Kuhn's analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate Melchert's (2016) preparadigmatic model of professional psychology.
- To examine the implications of Kuhn's (1970) philosophy of science for understanding the structure of psychological knowledge.
- To propose an alternative model of psychological knowledge organization.
Main Methods:
- Critical analysis of Melchert's (2016) assumptions and interpretation of Kuhn's (1970) work.
- Examination of empirical psychological research, specifically on violence against women, to assess paradigmatic diversity.
- Synthesis of findings to propose a multi-paradigmatic model of psychology.
Main Results:
- Melchert's (2016) analysis presents questionable assumptions about reducibility and neglects crucial aspects of Kuhn's (1970) framework.
- Research on issues like violence against women reveals that different paradigms and exemplars highlight unique strengths and weaknesses of treatment resources.
- Psychological knowledge appears to be structured by at least three overarching research paradigms, alongside numerous subparadigms.
Conclusions:
- Professional psychology is not in a preparadigmatic state but is instead characterized by multiple, coexisting research paradigms.
- A single paradigmatic perspective is insufficient to encompass the full scope of psychological knowledge and its applications.
- The diversity of paradigms, including applied and mixed methods research, enriches professional psychology.
Related Concept Videos
02:12Relationship Formation
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
02:02Genomics
Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
01:19MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry
Mass spectrometry is a powerful characterization technique that can identify and separate a wide variety of compounds ranging from chemical to biological entities, based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). The instruments that allow this detection, known as mass spectrometers, have three components: an ion source, a mass analyzer, and a detector. These spectrometers differ based on the nature of their ion source and analyzers.Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is a commonly...
01:25Strategies for Assessing and Addressing Confounding
Confounding is a critical issue in epidemiological studies, often leading to misleading conclusions about associations between exposures and outcomes. It occurs when the relationship between the exposure and the outcome is mixed with the effects of other factors that influence the outcome. Given that, addressing confounding is of high importance for drawing accurate inferences in research.
Confounding can be addressed at both the design phase of a study and through analytical methods after data...
Confounding can be addressed at both the design phase of a study and through analytical methods after data...
01:29Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:
01:24Humanistic Psychology
Humanistic psychology emerged in the mid-20th century as a response to the deterministic and pessimistic nature of behaviorism and psychoanalysis. While behaviorism focused on observable behaviors influenced by the environment and psychoanalysis delved into unconscious motivations, both theories suggested that human actions lacked free will. In contrast, humanistic psychology offers a perspective that emphasizes the innate potential for goodness and growth within every individual.
This approach...
This approach...