Holism VS Reductionism

Question 1

Define holism -

Answer 1

This assumption argues that behaviour cannot be understood in terms of the components that make them up. This is commonly described as ‘the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.’ For instance, if you were taking a holistic approach to studying depression then you would consider how all of the component parts (e.g. childhood trauma, environmental triggers, the impact of hormones and neurotransmitters etc.) work together to lead to the diagnosis

Question 2

Define reductionism -

Answer 2

the belief that human behaviour can be explained by breaking down a behaviour into smaller component parts. Reductionists say that the best way to understand why we behave as we do is to look closely at the very simplest parts that make up our systems, and to use the simplest explanations to understand how they work.

Question 3

Different types of reductionism -

Answer 3

Biological reductionism

Environmental reductionism

Question 4

Define biological reductionism -

Answer 4

Refers to the way biological psychologists try to reduce behaviour to a physical level and aim to explain behaviour in terms of neurons, neurotransmitters, hormones and brain structure. eg Abnormal levels of dopamine can lead to depression. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain normally associated with feelings of happiness and pleasure

Question 5

Define environmental reductionism -

Answer 5

Refers to the assumption that all behaviour can be reduced to stimulus-response associations. This assumption is central to the behaviourist approach. eg pavlov’s dogs

Question 6

Levels of explanation (holism vs reductionism)

Answer 6

§ Holism and reductionism operate on opposite ends of a spectrum. This is demonstrated by the ‘levels of explanation’
§ The lowest level considers biological (physiological) explanations for behaviour such as neurochemistry, genes and brain structure. The middle level considers psychological explanations (cognitive and behavioural explanations) for behaviour. The highest level considers social and cultural explanations for behaviour.
§ The lower the level of explanation, the more reductionist it is.
The higher the level of explanation, the more holistic it is.

Question 7

Evaluate the holism vs reductionism debate

Answer 7

L Psychologists who take an environmental reductionist approach to their research are often criticised for their methodology.
E.g. ‘behaviourists’ are environmentally reductionist as they assume that all behaviour stems from a stimulus-response interaction. However, this line of reasoning is largely based upon research using non-human subjects; Pavlov’s dogs being the most iconic example.
j Biological reductionism had led to treatment applications.
Ø For example, the discovery that depression can be explained in terms of neurochemistry has led to the development of successful drug therapies such as anti-depressants.
Ø The use of anti-depressants has helped patients to improve their mood.
Ø Counterargument: However, by analysing one component in depth, you may be ignoring other important components which heavily influence a behaviour/ trait.

j The reductionist approach helps to inform research methods.
Ø For instance, behavioural categories are used to break down complex behaviours (which are often difficult to define, and therefore measure objectively) into observable component parts.
If you were to study aggression, you may make a note of the number of times a child kicks another child, or yells at another child etc