"Objective" methods and "subjective" experiences

Abstract

Current psychiatric research and practice emphasize measurement of operationalized variables, quantification, and rigorous hypothesis testing. The fact that mental states can be subjectively experienced and that thoughts can refer to things and events outside the mind suggests that such objectifying methods alone may not provide a complete approach to mental life. Other complementary but systematic methods can be described which stress that (1) words are often natural expressions, not labels, of experiences; (2) usefulness, not agreement with observation, can sometimes validate psychological expressions; (3) some data can only be gathered by interactive involvement, not dispassionate observation; (4) a goal of inquiry can be interpretation, not hypothesis testing; and (5) understanding may require a holistic approach which expands rather than constricts the realm of relevant data.