Science vs Pseudoscience and Literature Review

Apuntes

Far from being harmless, the promotion of these beliefs often results in great personal toll as, for example, believers in pseudoscience opt for “treatments” such as homeopathy for serious medical conditions instead of empirically-supported treatments. Learning what makes them pseudoscientific can help us to identify and evaluate such beliefs and practices when we encounter them. A third reason is that many pseudosciences purport to explain some aspect of human behavior and mental processes, including biorhythms, astrology, graphology (handwriting analysis), and magnet therapy for pain control. It is important for students of psychology to distinguish their own field clearly from this “pseudo psychology.” The Skeptic’s Dictionary An excellent source for information on pseudoscience is The Skeptic’s Dictionary (http://www.skepdic.com). Among the pseudoscientific beliefs and practices you can learn about are the following: • Cryptozoology. The study of “hidden” creatures like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, and the chupacabra. • Pseudoscientific psychotherapies. Past-life regression, rebirthing therapy, and bioscream therapy, among others. • Homeopathy. The treatment of medical condi...