Holism And Reductionism Flashcards
What is holism vs reductionism
holism- People must be studied as a whole stystem
reductionism-Behaviour is broken down into constituent
holism
The holistic approach views human behaviour as an integrated experience rather than separate parts.
Gestalt psychology illustrates this by perceiving things as a whole rather than fragments. Perceiving in the real world involves more than biology; it’s arguably holistic psychology.
Reductionism
breaking down into constituent part
parsimony, phenomena should be explained using simplest principles
levels of explanation= diff ways to explain behaviour, example, OCD
socio-cultural level (OCD interrupts relationships)
Psychological level (experience of anxiety)
Physical (washing ones hands)
environmental/behavioural (learning experiences)
Physiological level (abnormal functioning in frontal lobe)
neurochemical level (underproducing serotonin)
psychology placed in hierarchy,
What can psychology be replaced with?
Hierarchy of reductionism
sociology
psychology
biology
chemistry
physics
most reductionist at the bottom
What is biological reductionism?
Reduce behaviour to a physical level and explain it in terms of neurons, neurotransmitters, hormones, brain structure. evolutionary and genetic influences
works backwards, drugs increasing serotonin effective at treating OCD.
working backwards, low serotonin causes OCD
reduced OCD to neurotransmitter activity
What is environmental reductionism?
Reduced behaviour to the simple building blocks of S-R (stimulus-response) associations and that complex behaviours are a series of S-R chains.
learning theory of A, reduces love to learned association between person doing feeding and food resulting in pleasure
evaluation of holism vs reductionism
+ve scientific approach (reductionist)
-ve some behaviours only understood on higher level
+ve scientific approach
P: Good psychology research breaks big ideas into smaller parts using operationalization. This helps researchers do experiments or observations in a reliable way, making psychological findings more believable.
E: Operationalization- defining and measuring things precisely. Breaking down complex ideas helps set clear rules for behaviour, making observations consistent and repeatable. For example, when studying infant attachment, behaviours like stranger anxiety are measured using the Strange Situation method, giving a structured way to assess attachment behaviour.
R: For example, when studying infant attachment, behaviours like stranger anxiety are measured using the Strange Situation method, giving a structured way to assess attachment behaviour. By operationalizing variables, researchers can manipulate and measure specific aspects of behaviour, allowing for controlled experimentation and empirical validation of psychological theories.
C:Despite its advantages, some criticize operationalization for being reductionist. They argue that by simplifying complex phenomena, researchers might overlook important contextual factors in human behaviour. For example, explanations solely based on genetics or neurobiology might ignore the impact of social and environmental factors, resulting in incomplete or inaccurate conclusions.
Y:Critics say oversimplifying can limit psychological research. focusing on measurable things misses depth of human behaviour. could make findings less accurate and less useful outside of labs. while operationalization helps reliability, it’s important for researchers to look at behaviour’s bigger picture to ensure findings are valid and relevant
-ve reductionism
P: some behaviours can only be understood on a higher level
E: The perspective overlooks factors like conformity to social roles, evident in Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment. Simply observing individuals doesn’t reveal the full complexity of their behaviors; it’s the interaction within groups that shapes behaviour.
R: Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment showcases how group dynamics can profoundly impact individual behavior. The study reveals how regular individuals, when placed in a simulated prison setting, conform to their roles as guards or prisoners, sometimes displaying abusive behavior.
C: Behaviour isn’t dictated by a “conformity gene”; instead, social processes operate at their own level. Therefore, any thorough explanation of behavior must consider the complexities of group interactions..
Y: Neglecting the holistic approach simplifies complex social dynamics and undermines our understanding of behavior. Ignoring group interactions leads to incomplete explanations, limiting our ability to address social phenomena effectively.
