5 - Holism + Reductionism

Question 1

What does the holism vs reductionism debate question?

Answer 1

Whether human behaviour should be studied by looking at the behaviour as a ‘whole’ or by breaking it up into its constituent parts

Question 2

Can the holism vs reductionism debate be looked at on a spectrum/in an interactionist way?

Answer 2

No - people either believe in taking a holistic or reductionist stance

Question 3

Define holism

Answer 3

The belief that behaviour should be studied by looking at the ‘whole’ as an indivisible system because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Question 4

What type of psychologists support taking a holistic stance?

Answer 4

Gestalt psychologists (‘whole’ psychologists)

Question 5

Give an example of an approach that supports taking a holistic stance?

Answer 5

Humanistic approach

Focuses on an individual’s life experiences as a whole

Question 6

What research methods are used by psychologists who believe in holism? Why?

Answer 6

Qualitative methods

- Believed to be better at providing a full representation of behaviour

Question 7

Is holism seen as more objective or more subjective? Why?

Answer 7

More subjective

- It involves less intricate scientific methodology

Question 8

Define reductionism

Answer 8

The belief that human behaviour is best studied by reducing it to smaller components and analysing these parts individually

Question 9

What principle is reductionism based on?

Answer 9

Parsimony (all phenomena should be explained using the simplest, lowest level principles)

Question 10

Give an example of two approaches that support taking a reductionist stance?

Answer 10

Biological approach - supports biological reductionism

Behaviourist approach - supports environmental reductionism

Question 11

What research methods are used by psychologists who believe in reductionism? Why?

Answer 11

Quantitative methods

- Used to more objectively break down + scientifically study one component at a time

Question 12

Is reductionism seen as more objective or more subjective? Why?

Answer 12

More objective

- Uses more scientific, quantitative methods

Question 13

Does holism or reductionism believe in ‘levels of explanation’?

Answer 13

Reductionism

Question 14

What are levels of explanation?

Answer 14

The idea that behaviour can be explained in several ways (levels) that are varying in their extent of reductionism

Question 15

Describe the ‘levels of explanation’ that are part of the reductionist stance

Answer 15

Highest level + least reductionist = social + cultural explanations (experiences, influence of social groups)
Middle level = psychological explanations (cognitive, environmental)
Lowest level + most reductionist = biological explanations (physiological brain structure, genetics, neurochemicals)

Question 16

Explain how an interactionist approach to reductionism may be taken

Answer 16

Argue that a combination of several levels of explanation can be used to explain a behaviour
(Still reductionist - breaks causation into levels, just uses several levels in combination to explain the cause)

Question 17

Name 2 common types of reductionism

Answer 17

• Biological reductionism

- Environmental reductionism

Question 18

Define biological reductionism

Answer 18

Breaks down the cause of behaviour to a biological level, looking at factors such as: neurochemicals, genes, structures, evolution

Question 19

Give an example of how biological reductionism may be used as a way to explain behaviour

Answer 19

Explanation for OCD

• Low serotonin
• Caused by low neurotransmitter activity

Question 20

Define environmental reductionism

Answer 20

Breaks down the cause of behaviour to an environmental level, by looking at the basic stimulus-response link which is acquired

Question 21

Give an example of how environmental reductionism may be used as a way to explain behaviour

Answer 21

Attachment

• Stimulus-response link between mother + pleasure acquired
• Classical conditioning links pleasure response from food to the neutral stimulus of the mother

Question 22

Give a topic example of a holistic approach being taken

Answer 22

Zimbardo’s SPE

• Situation as a whole considered cause of conformity
• Explanation not reduced to smaller parts: uniform, genes, etc
• Would be hard to explain the whole group’s behaviour if reduced

Question 23

Give a topic example of a reductionist approach being taken

Answer 23

Aggressive behaviour

• Cause reduced down to the MAOA gene
• Explains complex aggressive behaviour by breaking it down

Question 24

What are the evaluative points for holism?

Answer 24

POS - Can explain complex behaviours in a group/social context
NEG - Less practical value

Question 25

What are the evaluative points for reductionism?

Answer 25

POS - Scientific + reliable

NEG - Over-simplifies some behaviour

Question 26

Explain the positive evaluation point for holism

Answer 26

Can explain complex behaviours in a group/social context

• Some group behaviours/in a social context are better understood using holism
• A complete overview is needed to formulate an explanation
• E.g. social roles in Zimbardo’s SPE must be explained by analysing the whole situation + not reducing it down to smaller parts (there is no ‘conformity gene’ etc)

Question 27

Explain the negative evaluation point for holism

Answer 27

Less practical value

• Holism considers any factors as an overall cause
• This can prevent pinpointing causes of undesirable behaviours that could be treated
• E.g. Depression: Holism considers many causes (upbringing, experiences, etc) + Biological reductionism may suggest one cause that allows quick prescription of one treatment (low serotonin - SSRIs)

Question 28

Explain the positive evaluation point for reductionism

Answer 28

Scientific + reliable

• Reductionism breaks down behaviour into its component parts so it can be researched in a controlled, objective, scientific way
• This means the findings are scientific + reliable as they can be reproduced
• E.g Strange situation: Behaviours operationalised into small parts to observe + allows objective diagnosis
• This gives psychology scientific credibility

Question 29

Explain the negative evaluation point for reductionism

Answer 29

Over-simplifies some behaviour

• By reducing behaviour to one cause it can overlook how multiple factors can interact + have an impact
• Explanations + treatments may not be all-encompassing so may not be entirely effective at countering all causes
• Human behaviour may simply be too complex for a reductionist stance