Holism And Reductionism

Question 1

Holistic vs reductionism

Answer 1

Holism- study a system rather than its separate parts
Reductionism- study behaviour in smaller constituent parts

Question 2

Holism

Answer 2

Subdividing not appropriate- parts doesn’t help understand whole
Humanistic- individual experience can’t be reduced;qualitative
Gestalt psychology- when we perceive something in the real world we do as a whole not a collection of bits and pieces

Question 3

Reductionism

Answer 3

Analyse behaviour by breaking it down
All should be explained using the lowest level principle
Eg-ocd

Question 4

Biological reductionism

Answer 4

Neurochemical and physiological levels; evolutionary and genetic influences
All behaviour is biological on some level
Work backwards

Question 5

Environmental reductionism

Answer 5

Behaviourist approach;learned and acquired through interaction with environment
Reduces behaviour to stimulus response links

Question 6

Limitations of holistic approach

Answer 6

Lacks practical value - hard to use as more complex
Different factors- hard to see which is more influential

Question 7

Strengths of reductionism

Answer 7

Form basis of scientific approach- variables must be operationalised for well controlled research
Objective and reliable - credibility

Question 8

Limitations of reductionism

Answer 8

Oversimplifies complex phenomena- reduces validity
Level of gene or neurotransmitter doesn’t include analysis
Only ever part of explanation

Question 9

Limitation of reductionism 2

Answer 9

Some behaviour can only be understood at higher levels
Only in group context
Eg Stanford prison experiment - interaction was important
No conformity gene