The Problems Psychology Must Face as a Young Science
The challenges psychology must face are vast and many. The first obvious problem it faces being a young science is people not being apt to
believe it because of its short existence. New ideas no matter what they are, are not easily or quickly accepted by society. Another big problem
psychology faces is the continuous improvements to the DSM or The Diagnostic Statistical Manual. People feel like if Psychologists can't figure
out the answers to these questions how is the average day to day person supposed to figure out what is wrong with someone or why people do the things they do. Another thing that frustrates people who do not have a full understanding of psychology is the constant redefining of mental disorders. Lastly the biggest issue that psychology faces with all social sciences is the lack of hard fast answers that other hard sciences such as Chemistry and Physics have. Social sciences will always have people who lie outside the norm or do not react to certain things as they would expect.
Below is a link to an article discussing psychology redefining a mental disorder in the DSM (Diagnostic Statistical Manual). The DSM switched from the old DSM-4 to the DSM-5. The second link discusses how the APA has redefined mental disorders. In the DSM IV it is currently defined as someone falling outside the norm, but it was decided that, that it is not an adequate definition, and it will be changed in the DSM V.
Links:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rethinking-psychology/201307/the-new-definition-mental-disorder
http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/redefining_mental_illness/