Holism and reductionism Evaluation

Question 1

What is a limitation of the holism approach

lack of practical value

Answer 1

POINT: One limitation of the holism approach is that it may lack practical value

EVIDENCE: Holistic accounts of human behaviour tend to become hard to use as they become more complex.

This can present researchers with a practical dilemma. If we accept, from a humanistic perspective, that there are many different factors that contribute to depression, then it becomes difficult to know which is most influential
It is then difficult to know which to prioritise as the basis of therapy for example

EXPLANATION: This suggests that holistic accounts may lack practical value

Question 2

what is a strength of the reductionist approach

scientific approach

Answer 2

POINT: One strength of reductionist approaches is that they often form the basis of a scientific approach

EVIDENCE: In order to conduct well-controlled research, we need to OPERATIONALISE the variables to be studied - to break target behaviours down to their constituent parts
This makes it possible to conduct experiments or record observations in a way that is OBJECTIVE and RELIABLE

EXPLANATION: This scientific approach gives psychology better credibility, placing it on equal footing with the natural sciences

Question 3

what is a counterpoint for the scientific approach

Answer 3

HOWEVER:
POINT:
Reductionist approaches have been accused of oversimplifying complex phenomena, leading to reduced validity

EXAMPLE: Explanations that operate at the level of the gene or neurotransmitter do not include an analysis of the social context within which behaviours occur - and this is where the behaviour may derive its meaning.

EXPLANATION: This suggests that reductionist explanations can only ever form part of an explanation

Question 4

what is a limitation of reductionism

this can conversely be used as a strength for holism

Answer 4

POINT: One limitation of reductionism is that some behaviours can only be understood at a higher level

EXAMPLE: Often, there are aspects of social behaviour that only emerges within a group context and cannot be understood in term of the individual group members
e.g the effect of conformity to social roles in the prisoners and the guards in the Standford prison study could not be understood by observing the participants as individuals.
There is no conformity gene that we know of and so social processes like conformity can only be explained ar the level at which they occur

EXPLANATION: This suggests that, for some behaviours, higher-level explanations or even holistic ones provide a more valid account

Question 5

what is a strength for holism

Answer 5

POINT: there are some aspects of social behaviour that only emerges within a group context and cannot be understood at the individual group members

• the evidence and the explanation can be derived from the limitation for reductionism