Holism vs Reductionism Flashcards
What is the definition of Holism?
Looks at system as whole & sees any attempt to subdivide behaviour/xp into smaller units as appropriate
Knowing about how parts doesn’t help us understand essence of person
Behaviour only understood by analysing person/behaviour as whole
Humanists use qualitative methods to investigate self where themes analysed rather than breaking concept into component behaviours
What is the definition of Reductionism?
Analyse behaviour by breaking down into constituent parts
Based on specific principle of parsimony - all phenomena should be explained using simplest principles
Include laws of explanation in psych
What is biological reductionism?
Includes neurochemical & physiological levels & also evolutionary & genetic influences
Based on premise we’re bio rhythms, thus behaviour = at some level bio
What is environmental reductionism?
All behaviour learned & acquired through interactions with environment - stimulus-response links, reducing behaviour to basic elements
E.g. babies attach to mothers due to providing food
What are the levels of explanation in psychology?
Social-cultural level - e.g. OCD interrupts social relationships
Psychological level - e.g. Person’s xp of anxiety
Physical level - Movements, e.g. washing one’s hands
Environmental/behaviour level - Learning XPs
Physiological level - e.g. Abnormal functioning in frontal lobes
Neruochemical level (Most reductionist) - e.g. Underproduction of serotonin
Each level more reductionist than one before
Evaluate the holism vs reductionism debate
Limitation - Holism - PRACTICAL VALUE
E.g. - Holistic accounts of HB become hard to use - more complex - can present practical dilemma. If we accept there’s many factors contributing to depression, difficult to know which is most influential. It’s difficult to know which to prioritise as basis of therapy
Ex. - Holisitic accounts may lack practical value
Strength - Reductionist - SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
E.g. - To conduct well-controlled research we must operationalise variables we’re studying - break target behaviours down into constituent parts. Possible to conduct experiments or record observations objectively & reliably. E.g. S.S. Operationalised component behaviours like separation anxiety.
Ex. - Scientific approach gives psych greater credibility, placing it on equal terms with natural sciences
Limitation - Reductionism - HIGHER LEVEL
E.g. - Often, aspects of social behaviour only emerge within group context & can’t be understood in individual group members. E.g. effects of conformity in Stanford experiment couldn’t be understood by observing parties as individuals. Interaction between people & behaviour of group was important. There’s no conformity gene so social processes like conformity can only be explained at level they occur
Ex. - For some behaviours, higher level explanations (or holistic) provide more valid account
