Gozna, Lynsey and Boon, J. C. W. (2009) Firing pea-shooters at elephants. The Psychologist, 22 (9). pp. 762-765. ISSN 0952-8229
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
More than 35 years ago, computer scientist and cognitive psychologist Allen Newell famously asserted that ‘you can’t play 20 questions with nature and win’ (Newell, 1973). Referencing a quiz show in which contestants attempted to guess, with up to 20 questions, an object that the quizmaster held written on a card, Newell was alluding to the near complete failure of psychological research in achieving anything approaching unified growth. There was a ceaseless stream of research into interesting facets of psychology, yet no corresponding growth that in any way coalesced into a unified science. In contrast to sciences such as physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology, the endeavour of psychology was a fruitless, pseudo-scientific one – a ‘discipline’ characterised by pockets of disconnected research that, although employing a multitude of researchers, is nevertheless hopelessly doomed to failure as a scientific enterprise.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | More than 35 years ago, computer scientist and cognitive psychologist Allen Newell famously asserted that ‘you can’t play 20 questions with nature and win’ (Newell, 1973). Referencing a quiz show in which contestants attempted to guess, with up to 20 questions, an object that the quizmaster held written on a card, Newell was alluding to the near complete failure of psychological research in achieving anything approaching unified growth. There was a ceaseless stream of research into interesting facets of psychology, yet no corresponding growth that in any way coalesced into a unified science. In contrast to sciences such as physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology, the endeavour of psychology was a fruitless, pseudo-scientific one – a ‘discipline’ characterised by pockets of disconnected research that, although employing a multitude of researchers, is nevertheless hopelessly doomed to failure as a scientific enterprise. |
| Keywords: | psychological research, chameleon offender |
| Subjects: | C Biological Sciences > C800 Psychology C Biological Sciences > C850 Cognitive Psychology C Biological Sciences > C890 Psychology not elsewhere classified |
| Divisions: | College of Social Sciences > Faculty of Health & Social Sciences > School of Psychology |
| Depositing User: | Alison Wilson |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Mar 2011 14:49 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Jul 2011 16:39 |
| URI: | http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/id/eprint/4208 |
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