Practical psychology has a difficult relationship with science, if only because the field of practical psychology combines very different approaches and very different specialists, both those who respect science and people who are far from science. Practical psychology works in different paradigms, directions and approaches, and therefore somewhere has less to do with science, somewhere more. Practical psychology, working in a behavioral paradigm, relies more on a scientific basis. Psychologists working in the phenomenological paradigm rely more on the generalization and analysis of practical experience, as a result of which in some cases they are ahead of science (science is really not very nimble and often lags far behind), in other cases they leave science in completely arbitrary speculation.
Initially, science is a masculine field with all the characteristics of a masculine approach: a desire for certainty, a willingness to confront in the name of truth, a certain indifference to practicality (see fundamental science). However, in science, at least in the field of practical psychology, a feminine style is also represented. See →
Science in practical psychology is not always in demand. How to treat it? Since practical psychology is created for mass use by a mass contingent of psychologists, it makes sense to preserve the requirement of scientific character in the name of protection from the general mess. The more a specialist is developed, conscious and responsible, the more he is allowed to go beyond the scope of scientificity. See →
It is easy to build any theories about a person and the laws of his life, if you do not define the concepts that you use, replace logical coherence with the attractiveness of the story, and replace evidence with illustrations that remind you that something similar happens in life sometimes. In live communication, this is enough, but practical psychology should be not only the art of the magic of speech, but also a science. The education of a practical psychologist should be based on a scientific approach and form a scientific approach in practical psychology.
Of course, these are very serious requirements. In life, feelings can be good, but in science we rely on reason, logic and facts. In the scientific worldview, any constructions have a strict and coherent structure, are built from clear conceptual bricks, each brick must be based on another brick, and any detail of theoretical constructions must be tested for strength. There is no place for mysticism in science; at the basis of scientific theories there can be no ideas about the Higher Forces arbitrarily interfering in earthly life.
Today, practical psychology is filled with mysticism, spells and esotericism: the science of secret knowledge. Esotericists will tell you truths that are open only to them, and mystics are sure that with good contact with the Higher Forces, they will make the tram go in the opposite direction at the right time.
In our opinion, our common task, the task of practicing psychologists, is to ensure that we bring into Russian culture not medieval spells and belief in spirits, but well-constructed, practical science.
Style of publications of practical psychology
The style of scientific publications traditionally differs from the style of popular science presentation, however, it seems that this is not an inevitability, but a consequence of prevailing stereotypes. As for the style of publications, the opinion of V.L. Levy is interesting:
“It is not so important what language you speak, how much what you say is the essence; but the simpler the language of presentation, the more accessible, the more likely it is that the truths stated will not remain only on paper, but will take effect. If you observe, think and express your thoughts conscientiously and not mediocre, there is no essential difference between science and literature and there should not be.” See →