HOLISM VS REDUCTIONISM Flashcards
what 4 things do you have to remember for holism vs reductionism?
holism
reductionism
levels of explanation in psychology
types of reductionism
define holism
the argument proposing it only makes sense to study an inseparable system than it’s constituent parts
what did German/Gestalt psychologists say?
’ the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts’
holism argues that any attempt to….
break up behaviour is inappropriate, only understood by analysing the person/behaviour as a whole
what approach is holistic?
humanistic approach as effective therapy brings in all aspects of the person together
define reductionism
the belief that human behaviour is best explained by breaking it down into it’s smaller constituent parts
what scientific principle is reductionism based on?
parsimony
define parsimony
all phenomena is explained using basic principles
reductionism is the ______ and most __________ level of explanation
easiest and most economical
define levels of explanation in psychology
explanations vary from those at a fundamental level focusing on basic component to those at higher more holistic multivariable level
in simpler terms, levels of exp in psych are…
diff ways of viewing the same phenomena in psychology
explain OCD at it’s diff levels of exp
socio-cultural = behaviour such as excessive hand washing seen as irrational
psychological = explanation of having obsessive thoughts
physical = sequence of movements involving washing hands
physiological = hypersensitivity of basal ganglia
neurochemical =- underproduction of serotonin
reductionist psychologists think that…
psychology will be replaced with other sciences higher in reductionist hierarchy
what are the two types of reductionism?
biological
environmental
define biological reductionism
attempts to explain social/psychological phenomena at lower biological level e.g. genes or hormones
the ______ approach is biologically reductionist as…
biological as it believes all behaviour is somehow biological
biological approach has led to the development of…
psychoactive drugs that contribute to the understanding of neural processes such as OCD, depression and schizophrenia at a biochemical level
define environmental reductionism
attempts to explain all behaviour in terms of stimulus-response links made through experience
what approach is environmentally determinist?
behaviourist as they study observable behaviour and break it down
behaviourists believe that…
key analysis happens at a physical level and the mind is irrelevant into understand behaviour
give a strength and weakness of holism`
+ aspects of group cannot be understood individually
- no scientific testing
one strength of holism is that….
there are aspects of social behaviour that only emerge during a group context and cannot be understood at an individual
what is an example of social behaviour that only emerges during a group?
effect of conformity, social roles and deindividuation cannot be understood when you look at ppts as individuals
what is important in group behaviour that supports holism?
interaction with people and behaviour of the group is important