Scientific psychology differs from popular notions in terms of objectivity and methodology. When common people observe others, their own points of view and ways of understanding the world influence their interpretations of behaviours and experiences. This leads to biased explanations that are subjective and based on personal opinions.

In contrast, scientific psychology applies the scientific method to study psychological phenomena. Psychologists try to minimise biases in their explanations by making their analysis scientific and objective. Science places great emphasis on objectivity, which is obtained when there is consensus on the definition of a concept and how it can be measured.

However, some psychologists also recognize that subjectivity is a necessary aspect of human experience. They explain behaviour from the point of view of the experiencing person, acknowledging that complete objectivity may not always be possible in understanding human behaviour.