Reductionism V Holism

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

Levels of detail approriate to describe human behaviour

Question 2

Reductionism

Answer 2

behaviour best explained by breaking down into constituent parts

Question 3

Biological reductionism

Answer 3

attempting to explain behaviour by basis of genetic/ biochemical explanations

Question 4

Biological reductionism e.g.

Answer 4

Sz, gender + agression genetic explanations

Question 5

Environmental reductionism

Answer 5

explaining behaviour as a result of stimulus-response links
product of the environment

Question 6

Environmental reductionism e.g.

Answer 6

Differential association

Question 7

Machine reductionism

Answer 7

experience is like a machine

Question 8

Machine reductionism e.g.

Answer 8

WMM and MSM

Question 9

psychodynamic reductionism

Answer 9

reduces behaviour to unconscious motivation and early childhood experience

Question 10

Psychodynamic reductionism e.g.

Answer 10

Freud’s idea that a weak superego is a reason for offending

Question 11

Reductionism AO3 + scientific

Answer 11

• can easily operationalise variables
• can conduct in objective and relaible way

Question 12

Reductionism AO3 - only forms part of explanation

Answer 12

explanation as gene levels doesn’t suggest situation behaviour occurs

Question 13

Holism

Answer 13

looking at entire person to understand human behaviour

Question 14

Gestalism

Answer 14

the whole being is greater than its parts

Question 15

Holism AO3 +

Answer 15

some behaviours only show in group situations e.g. conformity

Question 16

Holism AO3 -

Answer 16

many factors contribute towards behaviour
- can’t understand comlex behaviour
- what to focus on in therapy??

Question 17

Interactionalism

Answer 17

some behaviours work at multiple levels of explanation

Question 18

Interactionalism e.g.

Answer 18

Sz = environment + biology