Holism and Reductionism Flashcards
Holism and reductionism debate
Look at whole person or constitutent parts
Reductionism can be broken into levels of explanation
Holism
Please an argument of theory which proposes that it only makes sense to study and indivisible system rather than it constitute parts
What approaches are holistic
Humanistic approach
Reductionism
The belief that human behaviour is best understood by studying the smaller constituent parts
What approaches are reductionism
Behaviourist approach
Levels of explanation in psychology (6)
- Socio-cultural level
- Psychological level
- Physical level
- Environmental level
- Physiological level
- Neurochemical level
What are the types of reductionism
Biological and Environmental reductionism
Biological reductionism
A form of reductionism which attempts to explain behaviour at the lowest biological level
Environmental reductionism
The attempt to explain all behaviour in terms of stimulus response links that have been learned through experience
Holism and reductionism evaluation points- Practical value
LIMITATION of holism
Holistic accounts become complex and impractical
(difficulties to treat depression when causes include past/present experiences and relationships)
Holism and reductionism evaluation points- Scientific approach
STRENGTH of reductionism
Reductionism is the basis of operationalisation, enables objective and reliable experiments/observations
Holism and reductionism evaluation points- Scientific approach counterpoint
LIMITATION of reductionism
Reductionist approaches in terms of genes/neurotransmitters don’t include context and therefore lack meaning
Holism and reductionism evaluation points- Higher level
LIMITATION of reductionism
Some behaviours e.g. in the Stanford prison experiment, can’t be understood in terms of individual members, it is about whole group interaction
