Reductionism/ Holism Flashcards

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1
Q

Key concepts?

A

Reductionism:
Complex explanations can be reduced to the sum of more fundamental things.

Holism:
Living matter is made up of unified wholes that are greater than the simple sum of their parts.

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2
Q

Applications?

A

Medical models:
Help reduce complex psychological disorders to simple chemical changes in the brain leading to psychological disorders (depression)

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3
Q

Links to core studies?

A

Casey:
Explained delay of gratification in terms of brain structures (frontal lobe)

Baron-Cohen:
Reduced explanations of autism spectrum disorder to a lack of theory of mind.

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4
Q

Similarities and differences?

A

Similarities:
Reductionism is similar to determinism (reduce to chemical changed which control our behaviour)

differences:
Reductionism differs from situational explanations (where a more holistic approach is needed because behaviour is harder to quantify)

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5
Q

Evaluations?

A

+ Scientific
breaking complex systems down to lower-level units may enhance understanding.

-Oversimplification
May fail to represent the true complexity of behaviour (emotions)

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