A02 pseudoscience and parapsychology

Question 1

What are the 4 sections for the evaluation

Answer 1

Paranormal research isn’t the only pseudoscience
Respectable research
Parapsychology as a science
Where’s the harm?

Question 2

Talk about paranormal research isn’t the only pseudoscience

Answer 2

Some Freudian hypotheses are also non-falsifiable. E.g. The view that all men have repressed homosexual tendencies is non-falsifiable

Koch argues that psychology lacks objective theories (it’s not scientific) cz after his review he concluded that psychological research resulted in verifiable descriptions of behaviour but the explanations derived from such research are more opinion than fact.

Question 3

Who studied respectable research

Answer 3

Mousseao

Question 4

What did mousseao do and find

Answer 4

Compared parapsychology journals with journals on mainstream science

Para journals were better cz they reported negative findings (necessary part of the scientific process) but this wasn’t the case with mainstream articles

Question 5

Respectable research conclusion

Answer 5

Yes mainstream science research is more scientific but parapsychological research is embracing the goals of science

Question 6

Who’s involved in parapsychology as a science

Answer 6

AAAS

Question 7

What did AAAS do

Answer 7

It allowed that parapsychological association ti t become a member

Question 8

Conclusion for parapsychology as a science

Answer 8

Cz of AAAS allowing them membership it confirms the scientific status of parapsychology

Question 9

Talk about where’s the harm

Basically what’s evak the research on it

1 pos
2 neg

Answer 9

Some people make a lot of money out of info run claims

We should be encourages to ask for evidence rather than respond to trends/superstitions which in the past have led to persecution of witches & punishment of metal patients

Positive: thorough creditable research may lead to valuable discoveries
E.g. acupuncture seen as a valuable therapy cz of it replicable results