Whenever I read or hear that a “praxeology is a way to deduce behavior” vs how psychology is “an induction of behavior through the scientific method” the explanations make sense but I still don’t have a solid grasp of what’s exactly different about either from a practical sense. For example what is an issue or question that would be answered by only praxeology vs a question that can only be answered by psychology? I can see how economics deals with praxeological assumptions about scarcity but that’s about as much I can muster mentally towards understanding this dilemma. I haven’t found a way to wrap my head around it the nuanced differences and I need help.
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Let’s break it down in simple terms:
Praxeology and psychology are two different ways of understanding and explaining human behavior.
Praxeology focuses on deducing behavior, which means trying to understand why people act the way they do by using logical reasoning and deductive principles. It starts with basic assumptions about human action, such as the fact that people have goals and they make choices to achieve those goals. Praxeology is often used in economics to analyze how people make decisions based on scarcity, which means there are limited resources and people have to choose how to use them.
Psychology, on the other hand, uses the scientific method to study and explain behavior. It relies on observation, experimentation, and data collection to understand why people behave the way they do. Psychologists study various aspects of behavior, including thoughts, emotions, and motivations, and they try to uncover the underlying processes that drive human actions.
So, to give you some practical examples:
– Praxeology could be used to understand why people decide to buy a certain product when it’s limited in supply. It would focus on how individuals make choices based on scarcity and their personal goals.
– Psychology, on the other hand, could be used to understand why people feel happy or sad in different situations. It would investigate the thoughts, emotions, and brain processes that contribute to these feelings.
In summary, praxeology is a logical and deductive approach to understanding behavior, often used in economics, while psychology is a scientific approach that relies on observation and experimentation to study behavior and its underlying processes.
Hope that was helpful!
My only understanding is that both disciplines can look at the same questions, just from different perspectives.
Psychology is a science discipline whereas praxeology is a philosophical/sociological discipline.
So, I interpret that a psychologist would analyse thinking and behaviour from a Scientific perspective. Approaches and therapies will be based on one’s developed using robust Scientific Method (statistically valid data, double blind studies, peer review), moving from hypothesis to theory. This is why so much of Freud’s work has been subsequently discredited (Scientific Method).
Praxeology would take a philosophical and sociological perspective. So, the various behaviours would be primarily identified using various societal factors, like economy, demographics etc. I interpret that Social Psychology, Sociology and Praxeology have the bigger overlaps. The nuances between these is what I didn’t understand.
Tldr: Praxeology and psychology are different ways of studying human action. Praxeology uses logic to derive universal laws from the action axiom. Psychology uses observation and experimentation to test hypotheses about human behavior.
Praxeology is based on the idea that humans act purposefully, meaning they have goals and preferences that guide their choices. Psychology is based on the idea that humans act as a result of internal events, such as emotions, thoughts, and instincts. Praxeology uses logical deduction from the action axiom, which states that men act purposefully, to derive universal laws of human action. Psychology uses empirical observation and experimentation to test hypotheses about human behavior.
An example of a question that can only be answered by praxeology is: What are the necessary conditions for economic calculation? Praxeology can answer this question by deducing from the action axiom that economic calculation requires private property, free markets, and money. An example of a question that can only be answered by psychology is: Why do some people have phobias? Psychology can answer this question by examining the causes and effects of fear and anxiety in different individuals.
Psychology is a very broad academic discipline that encompasses various kinds of efforts to understand how people think and behave.
Praxeology is a very specific (and extremely controversial) approach to economics that says you can derive facts about how economies behave by starting with some basic assumptions about individual human behaviour and logically deducing consequences. It’s mostly associated with the “Austrian school”. Note that there are other, completely different, approaches to economics that focus on individual behaviour, such as behavioural economics and experimental economics.
> For example what is an issue or question that would be answered by only praxeology vs a question that can only be answered by psychology?
Psychology: Why do people like ice cream? What causes mental illness? How can we treat mental illness? Why do people commit acts of violence? How do people reason about things? How do we process visual stimuli?
Praxeology: How can we “prove” that we should cut taxes for the rich using only some vague and poorly evidenced statements about how all humans always behave?
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