holism / reductionism

Question 1

what is the holism / reductionism debate concerned with

Answer 1

the level at which it is appropriate to explain human behaviour

Question 2

define holism

Answer 2

• idea that behaviour must be viewed as a whole

- we cannot predict how the whole system will behave by only looking at the individual components

Question 3

give examples of holism from research

Answer 3

• MENTAL DISORDERS - viewing whole experience rather than individual factors
• HUMANISM - individuals react as organised whole
• COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY - memory networks behave differently as a whole than when individual parts are separate

Question 4

define reductionnism

Answer 4

belief human behaviour can be explained by breaking it down into individual components

Question 5

define levels of explanation

Answer 5

• for any behaviour there are many different possible levels of explanation
• the debate asks if it is appropriate to look at one level specifically and whether it will tell you enough about human behaviour

Question 6

outline and explain the first level of explanation

Answer 6

• SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLANATIONS

- eg. memory; research suggests cultural expectations affect what we remember and how we recall it

Question 7

outline and explain the second level of explanation

Answer 7

• PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS

- eg. memory; cognitive psychologists study particular aspects eg duration and capacity

Question 8

outline and explain the third level of explanation

Answer 8

• BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS

- eg. memory; found association between size of hippocampus and memory for spatial navigation

Question 9

define biological reductionism

Answer 9

• explanations of behaviour can be reduced to work of chemicals/neurotransmitters/hormones
• eg. excess dopamine = schizophrenia

Question 10

define environmental reductionism

Answer 10

• explanations of behaviour due to stimulus-response links

- attachment to mother caused by her providing food - rewarding

Question 11

outline the strengths of the holism side of the debate

Answer 11

• looks at all factors that may impact behaviour
• does not ignore complexity of behaviour
• looks at different components to understand person as a whole
• higher ecological validity

Question 12

outline the weaknesses of the holism side of the debate

Answer 12

• over complicates behaviours
• not scientific
• hard to determine cause and effect
• neglects importance of biological explanations
• almost impossible to study all factors influencing behaviour

Question 13

outline the strengths of the reductionism side of the debate

Answer 13

• scientific as it requires isolation of variables

- led to development of effective chemical treatments

Question 14

outline the weaknesses of the reductionism side of the debate

Answer 14

• can be over simplistic so lacks ecological validity

- does not address larger societal issues such as poverty