CHARACTERISTICS OF A NON-SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO PSYCHOLOGY …as illustrated by the famous self-help book by Dale Carnegie, Published in 1936, it has sold millions of copies and been translated into more than 30 languages. It presents principles for dealing with people based on Carnegie’s theory of human nature. It’s a useful and entertaining book but full of flaws when you look closely at how Carnegie supports his theory with evidence.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A NON-SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO PSYCHOLOGY …as illustrated by the famous self-help book by Dale Carnegie, He over-generalizes, makes broad, sweeping statements about human nature without stating exceptions. He supports his generalizations with anecdotes– brief stories about personal experiences and historical events. There are many problems with anecdotal evidence, e.g., accuracy, representativeness of other people, figuring out cause-and-effect. Anecdotes are useful as examples of ideas. They are not good as evidence for those ideas.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A NON-SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO PSYCHOLOGY …as illustrated by the famous self-help book by Dale Carnegie, EXAMPLE: Francis “Two-Gun” Crowley, one of the most vicious gangsters of the 1930s, executed in NYC at age 20.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A NON-SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO PSYCHOLOGY …as illustrated by the famous self-help book by Dale Carnegie, Did he really leave a note behind at the shootout? What did he really say when he got to the death house at Sing-Sing prison?

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO PSYCHOLOGY 1. Conclusions are based on observations that are made and evaluated according to rules (research methods). 2. Wherever possible, behavior is measured, not just described. It’s a quantitative approach. 3. Conclusions are qualified in terms of the situation in which the behavior was observed. Moderator variable: a factor that modifies an effect observed in a research study.