5. holism and reductionsim Flashcards
what is reductionism
argues that all psychological phenomenon can be reduced to simple parts - supports deterministic views and claims that behaviour is predictable as it is determined by one factor.
based on the scientific assumption of parisomy - that complex phenomena should be explained by the simplest underlying principles possible.
what is the holism reductionism debate
question of whether holism or reductionism is a better approach to use in order to understand human behaviour.
there is no continuum between reductionism and holism unlike other debates. the debate is about preference for either reductionism or holism and the different approaches in psychology take sides (behaviourists are reductionist and humanistic psychologists take a holistic approach).
what are the levels of reductionism
the reductionist approach suggests there are different levels of explanation.
the lowest level considers physiological (biological) explanations where behaviour is explained in terms of neurochemicals and genes and brain structure.
the middle level considers psychological explanations (cognitive and behavioural).
highest level considers social and cultural explanations where behaviour is explained in terms of the influence of social groups.
what is biological reductionism
includes the neurochemical and physiological levels and also evolutionary and genetic influences.
based on the premise that we are biological organisms so all behaviour is at some biological level.
what is environmental reductionism
behaviourist approach is based on environmental reductionism proposing that all behaviour is learned and acquired through interactions with the environment.
behaviourists explain behaviour in terms of conditioning which is focused on simple stimulus - response links reducing behaviour to these basic elements.
for example - the learning theory of attachment reduces the idea of love to a learned association between the person feeding the babies and food resulting in pleasure.
how does reductionism link to approaches
biological = reductionism is often equated with physiological reductionism offering explanations of behaviour in terms of physiological mechanisms.
behaviourist = uses a very reductionist vocabulary - stimulus, response, reinforcement and punishment. these concepts alone are used to explain all behaviour. called environmental reductionism because it explains all behaviour in terms of simple environmental factors.
cognitive = uses the principle of machine reductionism. information processing approaches use the analogy of machine systems and the simple components of these machines as a means to describe and explain behaviour.
psychodynamic = relies on basic set of structures that attempt to simplify a very complex picture.
what are the strengths of reductionism
allows you to look in detail at components that effect behaviour
can be used to explain certain types of behaviours and disorders
scientific
open to testing
what are the weaknesses of reductionism
over simplifies complex behaviours
does not take into consideration other factors affecting behaviour
breaks down complex phenomenon into simple explanations
what is holism
any study or approach that looks at the whole picture or individual rather than breaking it down into components.
suggests there are different levels of explanation and that at each level there are emergent properties that cannot be reduced to the one below.
when studying individuals you would look at the whole person to gain an understanding about anything that may impact on their behaviour not just specific parts.
what are the strengths of holism
looks at everything that may impact on behaviour
considers more than one cause
allows for a detailed all round analysis
what are the weaknesses of holism
does not allow for detailed study in one area
not scientific
does not explain mental illness
over complicates behaviours which may have been a simple explanation
how does holism link to approaches
humanistic = investigates all aspects of the individual as well as the interactions between people.
social = looks at the behaviour of individuals in a social context. group behaviour (conformity) may show characteristics that are greater than the sum of the individuals which comprise it.
individual differences = mental disorders are often explained by an interaction of biological, psychological and environmental factors. an eclectic approach to therapy is often taken using drugs and psychotherapy.
how is a scientific approach a strength of reductionism and a weakness of holism
to conduct well controlled research we need to operationalise the variables to be studied - to break target behaviours down into constituent parts. this makes it possible to conduct experiments or record observations in a way that it is objective and reliable (research on attachment operationalised component behaviours such as separation anxiety) = scientific approach gives psychology greater credibility placing it on equal terms with the natural sciences.
counter = reductionist approaches have been accused of oversimplifying complex phenomena leading to reduced validity. explanations that operate at the level of the gene or neutransmitter do not include an analysis of the social context within the behaviour occurs -this is where behaviour may derive its meaning = reductionist explanations can only ever form part of the explanation.
how does holism limit the practical value
holistic accounts of human behaviour tend to become hard to use as they become more complex and can present researchers with a practical dilemma.
if we accept that there are many different factors that contribute to depression from a humanistic perspective then it becomes difficult to know which is most influential. so it is then difficult to know which to prioritise as the basis of therapy for instance = holistic accounts may lack practical value.
how do the levels of reductionism limit the debate
some behaviours can only be understood at a higher level. there are often aspects of social behaviour that only emerge within a group context and cannot be understood in terms of the individual group members. for example - the effects of conformity to social roles in the prisoners and guards at stanford prison study could not be understood by observing the participants as individuals.
the interaction between people and the behaviour of the group that was important. there is no conformity gene so social processes like conformity can only be explained at the level at which they occur = suggests that for some behaviours higher level explanations provides a more valid account.
