Essay
Psychology as a science
- Course
- Institution
Amazing in depth analysis with examples from relevant studies proving how psychology is a science.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
vedkirve
Content preview
I believe that psychology holds a firm position among the sciences as it uses dedicatedmethods to prove a hypothesis such as testing practically and experimenting to establish
facts that can be proven. Different methods in testing that have also been used in the
traditional sciences are used in psychology such as falsification to remove unconscious bias
from the experiment. The use of peer review is also used commonly in psychology as it is
used in the traditional sciences. Other experts in the field of psychology are used as second
observers who provide more analysis about the testing or experiment, again removing tester
bias.
Hofling Hospital Experiment
The main aim of the Hofling Hospital Experiment was to investigate obedience to authority in
a real-world setting, specifically within a hospital environment.The experiment was designed
to test the extent to which the nurses would obey the doctor’s commands, even if they were
asked to perform an action that could potentially harm a patient.
The procedure involved a field experiment involving 22 night nurses. Dr. Smith (the
researcher) phoned the nurses at a psychiatric hospital (on night duty) and asked them to
check the medicine cabinet to see if they had the drug astroten. As the nurse goes to find
the drug ‘astroten’ the nurse will see that the maximum dosage is 10mg and anything above
it would be fatal. When the nurse speaks to the ‘Doctor’ on a call the Doctor instructed them
to administer a dosage of 20mg. Also the Doctor would say he was in a hurry and would sign
the form with the patient later so the nurse would administer the medicine quickly.
When the call ended the nurse either
-Followed the doctor’s orders
-Resisted the order
-Went to get advice
-Became upset
-Or could not find the medication
If the nurse administers the lethal dosage to the patient the nurse would have broken 3 rules
of the hospital
1.They are not allowed to accept instructions over the phone
2.The dose was double the limit written on the packaging
3. The medicine itself was unauthorised i.e. not on the ward stock list
The study also used a control group to compare the findings from the experimental group.
In another hospital, 21 student nurses and 12 graduate nurses were asked to complete a
questionnaire about what they would do if confronted with the experimental situation.
These participants were not exposed to the actual experimental situation (the doctor’s phone
call).Instead, they were given a questionnaire asking them how they would respond if faced
with the same scenario described in the experiment.
Results
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller vedkirve. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.13. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
78075 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now