Issues & Debates- Holism & Reductionism Flashcards
Holism -
An argument or theory which proposes that it only makes sense to study an indivisible system rather than its constituent parts (which is the reductionist approach).
Reductionism -
The belief that human behaviour is best explained by breaking it down into smaller constituent parts.
Biological reductionism -
A form of reductionism which attempts to explain social and psychological phenomena at a lower biological level (in terms of the actions of genes, hormones, etc.).
Environmental reductionism -
The attempt to explain all behaviour in terms of stimulus-response links that have been learned through experience.
What did Gestalt psychologists declare, and what does this form the basis of in psychology?
Gestalt psychologists declared that ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,’ forming the basis of holism in psychology.
What is holism in psychology?
Holism is the idea that behavior and experience can only be understood by analyzing the person or behavior as a whole, and any attempt to break them up is inappropriate.
Which group of psychologists shares the holistic view, and what do they believe about therapy?
Humanistic psychologists share the holistic view, believing successful therapy involves bringing together all aspects of the ‘whole person.’
What is reductionism, and what principle is it based on?
Reductionism analyzes behavior by breaking it down into its constituent parts, based on the scientific principle of parsimony.
What does the principle of parsimony state?
The principle of parsimony states that all phenomena should be explained using the most basic (lowest level) principles, which is often the simplest, easiest, and most economical level of explanation.
What does the notion of ‘levels of explanation’ suggest in psychology?
The notion of ‘levels of explanation’ suggests that there are different ways of viewing the same phenomena in psychology, with some explanations being more reductionist than others.
How can obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) be understood at different levels of explanation?
OCD can be understood socio-culturally as producing odd or irrational behavior, psychologically as the experience of obsessive thoughts, physically as a sequence of movements, physiologically as hypersensitivity of the basal ganglia, and neurochemically as underproduction of serotonin.
What is the debate regarding the ‘best’ explanation of OCD?
The debate is about which level of explanation provides the ‘best’ understanding of OCD, with each level being more reductionist than the one before.
How can psychology be placed within a hierarchy of science?
Psychology can be placed within a hierarchy of science, with more precise and ‘micro’ disciplines at the bottom and more general and ‘macro’ disciplines at the top.
What do researchers who favor reductionist accounts of behavior believe about psychology?
Researchers who favor reductionist accounts believe psychology will ultimately be replaced by explanations derived from sciences lower down in the hierarchy.
What is biological reductionism based on?
Biological reductionism is based on the premise that we are biological organisms made up of physiological structures and processes, so all behavior can be explained through neurochemical, neurophysiological, evolutionary, and genetic influences.
What is the assumption of the biological approach in psychology?
The biological approach assumes that all behavior is at some level biological and can be explained through physiological and genetic influences.
How has biological reductionism been applied in psychology?
Biological reductionism has been applied to understand neural processes through the effects of psychoactive drugs and to explain mental disorders like OCD, depression, and schizophrenia at a biochemical level.
What is environmental (stimulus-response) reductionism, and which approach is it associated with?
Environmental reductionism breaks complex learning into simple stimulus-response links and is associated with the behaviorist approach.
What do behaviorists focus on, and what do they ignore?
Behaviorists focus on observable behavior and ignore mental (cognitive) processes, regarding the mind as a ‘black box’ irrelevant to understanding behavior.
How did early behaviorist John Watson view the process of thought?
John Watson viewed thought as a form of ‘sub-vocal’ (silent) speech, characterized by physical movement, the same as any other behavior.
What does the case for holism argue about social behavior?
The case for holism argues that some aspects of social behavior only emerge within a group context and cannot be understood at the level of individual group members.
What example supports the case for holism?
The Stanford prison experiment shows that conformity to social roles and de-individuation could not be understood by studying participants as individuals; the interaction between people and group behavior was key.
What advantage do holistic explanations provide over reductionist approaches?
Holistic explanations provide a more complete and global understanding of behavior than reductionist approaches.
What is a criticism of holistic explanations in psychology?
Holistic explanations tend not to lend themselves to rigorous scientific testing and can become vague and speculative as they become more complex.
What is a specific example of a holistic approach criticized for lacking empirical evidence?
Humanistic psychology, which takes a holistic approach, is criticized for its lack of empirical evidence and is seen as a loose set of concepts.
What practical dilemma do higher-level explanations present to researchers?
Higher-level explanations present a dilemma because, with many factors contributing to behavior (e.g., depression), it becomes difficult to determine which factor is most influential or should be the basis for therapy.
What does the case for reductionism argue about scientific research?
Reductionism often forms the basis of scientific research, as breaking behavior into constituent parts allows for operationalized variables, meaningful experiments, and reliable observations.
How does reductionism give psychology greater credibility?
Reductionism places psychology on equal terms with natural sciences by enabling precise, measurable, and testable explanations of behavior.
What is a criticism of reductionist approaches?
Reductionist approaches are accused of oversimplifying complex phenomena, leading to a loss of validity by ignoring the social context in which behavior occurs.
What example illustrates the limitation of reductionist explanations?
The physiological processes of pointing a finger are the same regardless of context, but reductionist explanations cannot explain why the finger is pointed (e.g., to draw attention, as aggression, or to answer a question).
What does the interactionist approach consider, and how is it different from holism?
The interactionist approach considers how different levels of explanation combine and interact, differing from holism by focusing on interactions rather than solely higher-level explanations.
What is an example of the interactionist approach in psychology?
The diathesis-stress model is an example, explaining mental disorders like schizophrenia and depression as the result of a genetic predisposition triggered by stressors.
How has the diathesis-stress model influenced treatment approaches?
The model has led to multidisciplinary and holistic treatments, such as combining drugs and family therapy, which are associated with lower relapse rates.
What study supports the diathesis-stress model explanation of mental disorder?
The study by Tarrier et al. (page 213) supports the diathesis-stress model, showing its effectiveness in reducing relapse rates.
