Why Freud Fails Modern Psychological Science

Why do we consider Freud "unscientific"? If he time traveled to today, Freud would have certainly been surprised to hear most psychologists don't think of his work as science. This video explores the reasons why Freud's theories are often considered unscientific in the field of psychology. I cover five key elements of modern psychological science, including empiricism, materialism, positivism, logical positivism, and operationism. I also touch on the philosophies of B.F. Skinner and Auguste Comte -- influential in shaping the modern understanding of what constitutes scientific inquiry. I argue that while Freud's theories may not meet all of the criteria for a scientific explanation, he believed in the materialist principles that underpin scientific inquiry.

Note: This is the first video I have created using Descript, a new audio and video editor!

0:00 Introduction
0:35 Empiricism
1:30 Materialism
2:33 Positivism
7:11 Logical Positivism
9:57 Karl Popper & Falsifiability
13:37 Operationism

#freud #psychology #science #psychologyfacts #descript

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I received my Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. I joined the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia in 2007, where my research and teaching are focused on social neuroscience.

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[samuelholland]

I want this comment to be constructive as possible, so please don't think I am being aggressive. I just wanted to raise a point that I take issue with regarding you own interpretation of how Freud viewed his opposition. I won't argue against the scientific methodology and research that Freud pursued as it is very much exhausted and there is enough debating material for an individual to make their own conclusion. Or any other psychoanalytic thinker and theory for that matter.

You state in your description that Freud would have been "surprised" at the audience of those that oppose his works moderately or fanatically. This really is not the case, Freud through-out his works was no stranger to intellectual opposition. He stated himself that his "struggle" was not over in the establishment of psycho-analysis in his 1939 voice recording with the BBC. Freud's dealings with opposition were with both those who rejected the psychoanalytical claims of psychic life and other psychoanalysts such as his famous downfall with Carl Jung. After all this, we can conclude that Freud is not surprised modern psychologists would reject him when he already anticiapted such struggles in his own life. Therefore Freud is not naive about scientific methodology, I would argue Freud has a deep comprehensive understanding of the scientific method.

I hope this comment sheds lights on the personal relationship between Freud and the community of those that reject him. It almost motivated him more to formulate a more concrete grounds of psychoanalytic theory.

Nonetheless, thank you for your video and your insights.