Summary of Debates

The word 'psychology' is derived from two Greek words: 'psyche' meaning 'the mind or soul' and 'logos' meaning 'the study of'

Psychology was developed from the area of philosophy which explains why there are a number of philosophical issues present

It was only in 1879 that psychology began to be considered as a science following the setting up of the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig by Wilhelm Wundt

This module will consider the validity of various beliefs and concepts in the area of psychology.

These are referred to as philosophical issues or debates.

The debates will include:

Free Will vs. Determinism

Nature vs. Nurture (Nativism vs. Empiricism)

Holsim vs. Reductionism

Idiographic vs. Nomothetic

• Is psychology a science or should it even aspire to be a science?

• How can psychology be considered alongside physics, biology and chemistry when it does not have a definable subject matter, lacks precision in procedures and is just 'common sense'?

• If it is a science then it should always be objective, but is objectivity always the best way to study behaviour?