--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Psychologists really aim to be…" description: "\"Psychologists really aim to be scientists, white-coat stuff, with elaborate statistics, running experiments.\" — Daniel Kahneman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/daniel-kahneman-431_aim_psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientist_817460.jpg" --- # Psychologists really aim to be scientists, white-coat… ![“Psychologists really aim to be scientists, white-coat stuff, with elaborate statistics, running experiments.” quote by Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/daniel-kahneman-431_aim_psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientist_817460.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/daniel-kahneman-431_aim_psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientist_817460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/daniel-kahneman-431_aim_psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientist_817460.jpg) > “Psychologists really aim to be scientists, white-coat stuff, with elaborate statistics, running experiments.” [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Psychologists strive for scientific rigor using complex methods and data. **In simple terms:** Scientists use stats and experiments. Key Takeaway Embrace data-driven thinking. Themes science psychology methodology Mood analytical thoughtful Type academic informative When to use this quote - research - clinical practice - policy making - education Key Concepts cognitive bias experimental design Questions to Reflect On - When does rigorous methodology hinder understanding? - How to balance simplicity with accuracy? A Different Perspective Complex methods can obscure practical insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Coats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coats/) [Elaborate Statistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elaborate-statistics-338834/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Psychologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologist/) [Psychologists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologists/) [Psychologists Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologists-really-338832/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists/) [Scientists White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists-white-338833/) [Statistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statistics/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) ## Related quotes > [Economists think about what people ought to do. Psychologists watch what they actually do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/economists-think-about-what-people-ought-to-do-psychologists-watch/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Most psychologists treat the mind as disembodied, a phenomenon with little or no connection to the physical body. Conversely, physicians treat the body with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-pert/most-psychologists-treat-the-mind-as-disembodied-a-phenomenon-with/) [Candace Pert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-pert/) > [The psychologists are valiantly trying to provide us with answers, the religious people are trying to provide us with answers. I think it properly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-psychologists-are-valiantly-trying-to-provide-us-with-answers-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Professional psychologists seem to think that they are the only people who make sense out of human actions. The rest of us know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-canfield-fisher/professional-psychologists-seem-to-think-that-they-are-the-only/) [Dorothy Canfield Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-canfield-fisher/) > [The psychologists and the metaphysicians wrangle endlessly over the nature of the thinking process in man, but no matter how violently they differ otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-psychologists-and-the-metaphysicians-wrangle-endlessly-over-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Psychologists are men with nothing in their own minds, searching in the minds of others for an idea-in order to kill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-hooton/psychologists-are-men-with-nothing-in-their-own-minds-searching-in/) [Harry Hooton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-hooton/) > [Irony gives us, at little expense, the impression that we are experienced psychologists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/irony-gives-us-at-little-expense-the-impression-that-we-are/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [“The first time the extent of this problem was obvious to me was when I was hanging out with a small group of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-collins/the-first-time-the-extent-of-this-problem-was-obvious-to-me-was-when/) [Simone Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-collins/) > [Psychologists have found that we are more likely, in looking back at our lives, to remember high points and dramatic shifts in far greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sissela-bok/psychologists-have-found-that-we-are-more-likely-in-looking-back-at/) [Sissela Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sissela-bok/) > [If you want to understand human beings, there are plenty of people to go to besides psychologists… Most of these people are incapable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/if-you-want-to-understand-human-beings-there-are-plenty-of-people-to/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [I'm one of the best-loved psychologists in the United States, but I'm also probably the most hated one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/i-m-one-of-the-best-loved-psychologists-in-the-united-states-but-i-m/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [Psychology is much bigger than just medicine, or fixing unhealthy things. It's about education, work, marriage - it's even about sports. What I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/psychology-is-much-bigger-than-just-medicine-or-fixing-unhealthy/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [You psychologists focus on what is wrong with people; I want to focus on what is right and what could be right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-briggs-myers/you-psychologists-focus-on-what-is-wrong-with-people-i-want-to-focus/) [Isabel Briggs Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-briggs-myers/) > [It used to be that whenever I introduced myself to people and told them I was a psychologist, they would shrink away from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-used-to-be-that-whenever-i-introduced-myself-to-people-and-told/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [Happy people are poor psychologists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/happy-people-are-poor-psychologists/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) ## More by Daniel Kahneman > [Economists think about what people ought to do. Psychologists watch what they actually do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/economists-think-about-what-people-ought-to-do-psychologists-watch/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“Belief in the Law of Small Numbers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/belief-in-the-law-of-small-numbers/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“People who are poor think like traders, but the dynamics are quite different. Unlike traders, the poor are not indifferent to the differences between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/people-who-are-poor-think-like-traders-but-the-dynamics-are-quite/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“Mood evidently affects the operation of System 1: when we are uncomfortable and unhappy, we lose touch with our intuition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/mood-evidently-affects-the-operation-of-system-1-when-we-are/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [The confidence that individuals have in their beliefs depends mostly on the quality of the story they can tell about what they see, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-confidence-that-individuals-have-in-their-beliefs-depends-mostly/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“So this is my aim for watercooler conversations: improve the ability to identify and understand errors of judgment and choice, in others and eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/so-this-is-my-aim-for-watercooler-conversations-improve-the-ability/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“For example, I recently came to doubt my long-held impression that adultery is more common among politicians than among physicians or lawyers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/for-example-i-recently-came-to-doubt-my-long-held-impression-that/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Survival prospects are poor for an animal that is not suspicious of novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/survival-prospects-are-poor-for-an-animal-that-is-not-suspicious-of/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“the idea of money primes individualism: a reluctance to be involved with others, to depend on others, or to accept demands from others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-idea-of-money-primes-individualism-a-reluctance-to-be-involved/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Most of the moments of our life - and I calculated, you know, the psychological present is said to be about three seconds long;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/most-of-the-moments-of-our-life-and-i-calculated-you-know-the/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“knowing little makes it easier to fit everything you know into a coherent pattern.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/knowing-little-makes-it-easier-to-fit-everything-you-know-into-a/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Experts don't know exactly where the boundaries of their expertise are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/experts-don-t-know-exactly-where-the-boundaries-of-their-expertise-are/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [All of us would be better investors if we just made fewer decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/all-of-us-would-be-better-investors-if-we-just-made-fewer-decisions/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“The best we can do is a compromise: learn to recognize situations in which mistakes are likely and try harder to avoid significant mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-best-we-can-do-is-a-compromise-learn-to-recognize-situations-in/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“A happy mood loosens the control of System 2 over performance: when in a good mood, people become more intuitive and more creative but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/a-happy-mood-loosens-the-control-of-system-2-over-performance-when-in/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) [Explore all 560 Daniel Kahneman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Psychologists really aim to be scientists, white-coat stuff, with elaborate statistics, running experiments.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel Kahneman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientists-white-coat-stuff-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientists-white-coat-stuff-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/daniel-kahneman-431_aim_psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientist_817460.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/daniel-kahneman-431_aim_psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientist_817460.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/daniel-kahneman-431_aim_psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientist_817460.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Psychologists really aim to be scientists, white-coat stuff, with elaborate statistics, running experiments.” — Daniel Kahneman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Daniel Kahneman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Psychologists really aim to be scientists,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientists-white-coat-stuff-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/psychologists-really-aim-to-be-scientists-white-coat-stuff-with/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```