How Do "Ugly Science" and "Dirty Science" Affect the Practice of Clinical Science?

Area of Science:

• Psychology, specifically clinical science.
• Epistemic practices in scientific problem-solving.

Background:

• Science excels at problem-solving via specialized practices.
• Clinical psychology faces challenges, termed "slow progress of soft psychology."
• Issues include flawed scientific methods, replication failures, publication bias, questionable practices, data fabrication, and political bias.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the problem of slow progress in clinical psychology.
• Introduce and define "ugly science" (problematic conception) and "dirty science" (problematic instantiation).
• To critically question how clinical science can operate given the unknown prevalence of these issues.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis using the constructs of "ugly science" and "dirty science."
• Examination of factors contributing to the "slow progress of soft psychology."

Main Results:

• Identified specific issues plaguing clinical science literature.
• Defined "ugly science" and "dirty science" as key analytical tools.
• Highlighted the critical question of clinical science's functionality amidst these problems.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of "ugly" and "dirty" science poses a significant challenge to clinical psychology.
• Further research is needed to understand and address these issues.
• Ensuring the integrity of clinical science requires confronting these problematic practices.