reductionism Flashcards
define reductionism
Reductionism is the belief that human behaviour can be explained by breaking it down into simpler component parts.
define parsimony
Reductionism is based on the scientific assumption of parsimony: the idea that complex phenomena should be explained in the simplest terms possible.
define holism
Holism argues that people should be viewed as a whole rather than as individual parts and focuses on the interaction of all parts.
how is sherif reductionist
-ignores biological factors that may have influenced boys aggression in study(e.g raids and scuffles may have occurred due to hormones rather than prejudice =reductionist
-ignores individual factors like personality that may have affected prejudice =reductionist
-sherif reduces complexity of prejudice down to simple version used for research
how is sherif holistic
feild study so less evs are controlled
how is baddeley reductionist
-uses simplified word lists to investigate complex memory
-lab experiment=eliminated EVs
-simplifies STM and LTM into one type of encoding whereas other theories like tulving ltm discussed 2
how is raine reductionist
-looks at individual brain regions specific focus on amygdala and PFC rather than complexity of whole brain
-ignores other bio factors that may influence behaviour like hormones
-lab study limited Evs like mental illness
-ignores upbringing in causing behaviour
how may raines conclusion be more holistic
they did state that brain differences alone couldn’t account for aggression as not all individuals with these brain differences are aggressive so conclusion is more holistic
how is Watson and Rayner reductionist
-sees behaviour as being broken down into simple formula
-set in lab eliminating EVs which may have had effected behaviours
-based on reductionist classical conditioning where albert learned phobia through association ignored other theories like slt
