Holism vs reductionism

Question 1

What is the holism and reductionism debate

Answer 1

What extent behaviour can be studied using a holistic perspective

Question 2

Holism

Answer 2

only make sense to study an indivisible system rather that its constituent parts

Question 3

Reductionism

Answer 3

Human behaviour is best explained by breaking it down into constituent parts

Question 4

types of reductionism

Answer 4

environmental + biological

Question 5

what is biological reductionism

Answer 5

explain social and psychological phenomena at a lower biological level

Question 6

what is environmental reductionism

Answer 6

explain all behaviour in terms of stimulus response links

Question 7

For holism

Answer 7

certain social behaviour that only emerge in a group context
ex=effect of conformity to social roles and deindividuation of prisoners+ guards in stnaford prison experiment

interactions between people was more informative = provide a more complete understanding of behaviour

Question 8

Against holism

Answer 8

Doesn’t involve scientific testing = vague + speculative

ex= Humanistic psychology= criticised for lack of empirical evidence
- combining diff perspectives- hard to see which is most influential= hard to develop therapy
Suggest lower level of explanation is needed

Question 9

For Reductionism

Answer 9

Forms basis of scientific research
- To create operationalised variables= need to break down behaviour into constituent parts
- Which increases reliability
- this also increases credibility of psychology by placing lower down the reductionist hierarchy with natural sciences