Michell (1997) = Reading assignment

Question 1

What is quantitative imperative?

Answer 1

measurement is necessary feature of all science; for psychological research, measurement is considered essential

Question 2

What are examples of quantitative imperative in psychology?

Answer 2

Spearman’s model of general intelligence (any example that shows psychology relies on measurement)

Question 3

In 1940, Ferguson Committee came together. What did they discuss and what was the outcome of their meeting?

Answer 3

The committee came together to investigate the possibility of scientific measurement in
psychology. They discussed whether measurement is indeed possible in psychology and in
their report, argued that psychological measurement is indeed not possible since the
additivity of psychological constructs was never displayed, so there was no evidence that
psychologists were capable of measurement.

Question 4

At this juncture in the history of psychology two avenues were open.’ (Michell,
1997, p. 368) What were the two avenues, and which one did psychology choose?

Answer 4

The one avenue was learning from this moment and becoming critical researchers who
don’t take their assumptions, such as that attributes are quantitative in nature, for granted.
However, psychology took the other avenue, and came up with their own definition of
measurement (Stevens) and ignored these issues

Question 5

Explain why this choice was motivated by practicalism and the quantitative
imperative

Answer 5

Practicalism: for psychologists, it is sometimes more important to consider the practical
considerations rather than the fundamental ones. So engaging with the criticism by the
Ferguson committee was less practical than coming up with a new definition of
measurement.
Quantitative imperative: It was perhaps difficult to admit that psychology did not measure
and therefore was, according to the quantitative imperative, not a scientific discipline.

Question 6

On p. 374, Michell writes: ‘By methodological thought disorder, I do not mean
simply ignorance or error, for there is nothing intrinsically pathological about
either of those states.’
What does Michell mean by ‘methodological thought disorder’ and why are
ignorance or error something different?

Answer 6

Psychologists adhere to for example Stevens’ definition of measurement and are collectively
not critical about its core assumptions. They neglect other possibilities, and they also
neglect their task as research to be critical. Psychologists are not curious to look any further
and are happy to accept Stevens’ definition.
This attitude is purposefully neglective, and therefore not ignorance or error (which are
both human and incidental)

Question 7

Try to summarize Michell (1997). What is Michell’s main argument?

Answer 7

Psychology accepted a definition of measurement that takes attention away from the
scientific task, namely the task of critically examining one’s own assumptions (in this case,
the task of investigating whether psychological attributes are in fact quantitative). Stevens’
definition of measurement neglects having to do any extra work of examining psychological
attributes up close. Psychologists thus purposefully neglected being good scientists, which
cannot be attributed to making an error or being ignorant (there were several academics
who pointed out that psychology’s concept of measurement was not sufficient). According
to Michell, psychology thus suffers from a methodological thought disorder