holism and reductionism

Question 1

define holism

Answer 1

proposes that it only makes sense to study an individuals system rather than its constituent parts (the whole.)

Question 2

define reductionism

Answer 2

the belief that human behaviour is best understood by looking at the smaller constituent parts.

Question 3

what dose the debate look at

Answer 3

wether holism or reductionism is the better approach to use in order to understand human behaviour.

Question 4

what dose the humanistic approach support

Answer 4

holistic approach

Question 5

what dose the behaviourist approach support

Answer 5

reductionist.

Question 6

key concept of holism

Answer 6

gestalt psychologists who argued that the ‘whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’

Question 7

what dose holism focus on

Answer 7

an individuals experience, which cannot be reduced to biological units.

Question 8

what measuring methods dose holism use

Answer 8

qualitative methods to investigate self whereby themes are analysed rather than breaking concept into component behaviours.

Question 9

key concept of reductionism

Answer 9

analyse behaviour by breaking it down into its constituent parts.

Question 10

what scientific principle is reductionism based on

Answer 10

principle of parsimony.

Question 11

define the principle of parsiomy

Answer 11

all phenomena should be explained by using the simplest principle.

Question 12

what are the levels of explanation in psychology (with the example of OCD)

Answer 12

1) Socio-cultural level – e.g. OCD interrupts social relationships

2) Psychological level – e.g. the person’s experience of obsessive thoughts

3) Physical level – e.g. sequence of movements: in washing hands

4) Environmental/behavioural level – e.g. learning experiences

5) Physiological level – e.g. abnormal functioning in the frontal lobes

6) Neurochemical level – e.g. underproduction of serotonin

Question 13

define biological reductionism

Answer 13

Biological reductionism suggests all behaviour can be explained through neurochemical, physiological, evolutionary and/or genetic influences. Thus, all behaviour is at some level biological.

Question 14

define environmental reductionism.

Answer 14

proposes that all behaviour is learned and acquired through interactions with the environment.

behaviourist approach is built on environmental determinism

Question 15

One limitation of the holism approach

Answer 15

may lack practical value.

Holistic accounts of human behaviour become hard to use as they become more complex which presents researchers with a practical dilemma.

for example, depression, then it becomes difficult to know which is the most influential and which to prioritise for treatment.

Question 16

One strength of the reductionist approach

Answer 16

its scientific status.

In order to conduct well-controlled research, variables need to be operationalised – target behaviours are broken down into constituent parts.

Question 17

One limitation of reductionism

Answer 17

need for higher level explanations.

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 Stanford prison study could not be understood by observing the participants as individuals, it was the behaviour of the group that was important.