Holism & Reductionism Flashcards
What is holism?
The idea that human behaviour should be viewed as a whole integrated experience, and not as separate parts.
What is reductionism?
The idea that human behaviour can be explained by breaking it down into simpler component parts.
What are examples of holism?
-Humanistic approach takes a fully holistic approach due to the emphasis on phenomenology (experience).
-Cognitive interview is a holistic method of interviewing witnesses as it incorporates the context of the event from multiple perspectives and timepoints.
-Rutter (2011) conducted a longitudinal study on Romanian orphans, taking into account multiple factors that affect development.
What are types of reductionism?
-Biological reductionism.
-Environmental reductionism.
What is biological reductionism?
The idea that biological functions and structures can explain behaviours.
What is environmental reductionism?
The idea that external forces can explain behaviours.
What are examples of environmental reductionism?
-The behaviourist approach emphasises on the stimulus-response dynamic (e.g. CC) as a cause of the development of behaviours such as phobias.
What are examples of biological reductionism?
-Siffre (1973) concluded that circadian rhythms are influenced by endogenous pacemakers rather than exogenous zeitgebers.
-The biological approach claims that OCD is caused by higher dopamine levels and lower serotonin levels.
Evaluation points for holism:
-Humans don’t live in a ‘bubble’, so taking a holistic approach to research reflects real experiences, increasing ecological validity.
-Lack of scientific rigour due to vague or lack of empirical evidence.
-Too many variables play a role (e.g. for criminal behaviour, it is difficult to pinpoint a main cause).
Evaluation points for biological reductionism:
-Development of drug therapies that focus on altering specific components (e.g. neurotransmitters, hormones, etc.)
-Greater acceptance of mental disorders in society.
-Drugs treat the symptoms and not the causes, and can be depended on.
-External locus of control.
Evaluation points for environmental reductionism:
-No drug implications.
-Treatment for phobias.
-Behaviourist approach was based on animal studies (e.g. Skinner Box).
