Reductionism Vs Holism

Question 1

Define the term reductionism

Answer 1

an approach that breaks complex phenomena into more simple components, implying that this is desirable because complex phenomena are best understood in terms of a simple explanation.

Question 2

Explain what is meant by the levels of explanation

Answer 2

They suggest explanations begin at the highest level and progressively look at component elements :

• Researchers work their way down the levels of explanation to the most simplistic explanation that has the fewest assumptions.

An example of this reducitonism is the neural explanation for OCD
(Explaining behaviour at any level is still reductionist approach but the lower levels are more reductionist)

Question 3

Explain the term principle of parsimony - which lead to reductionism

Answer 3

Refers to the idea we should seek out the simplest best explanation. The idea is the easiest and still be more economical and efficient. In practice we try to balance parsimony with explanatory power / validity/ utility → only make a theory as complex as it must be

So if faced with two competing hypothesis should prefer the one which requires the fewest assumptions

Question 4

What are the three types of reductionism?

Answer 4

• biological
• environmental
• experimental

Question 5

Explain biological reductionism

Answer 5

Explaining behaviour at the lowest level of explanation in terms of neural, genetic or even atomic mechanisms.

• Lays foundations in our biological makeup - provides physical explanations

Question 6

Give an example of biological reductionism

Answer 6

• Schizophrenia excessive activity of dopamine
• OCD - neural explanation
• Maguire et al → taxi study

Question 7

Outline the ter environmental reductionism

Answer 7

Explaining behaviour in terms of simple relationship between stimulus and response the environmental impact on the individual.

Question 8

Give the example of environmental reductionism

Answer 8

Learning theory of attachment

Question 9

Outline the term experimental reductionism

Answer 9

Reducing complex behaviours down into isolated variables in order to conduct research (operationalisation)

Question 10

Give the example of experimental reductionism

Answer 10

Ainsworth’s Strange situation - as created the list of behavioural categories

Question 11

Define the term holism

Answer 11

Approach that focuses on the whole system rather than its individual features ; it acknowledges that system works as a uniform whole (whole is greater than the some of its parts)

Question 12

What are the three types of holism?

Answer 12

• Gestalt
• Humanistic
• Cognitive

Question 13

Define the Gestalt Psychology

Answer 13

One of the founding examples
Approach favoured by germans in 1900s
Adopts an holistic approach to perception when we perceive something we do so as a whole

Question 14

Explain Humanist psychology

Answer 14

An individual reacts as a organised whole to stimuli than a set of stimulus-response links - so a whole approach is needed
What matters most is an individual’s sense of unified identity thus a lack of wholeness leads to a mental disorder
Maslow → hierarchy of needs individual will only reach self actualisation once they have there needs below met

Question 15

Explain cognitive psychology

Answer 15

• Cognitive Psychology
  Connective networks can be used to explain memory → the network works as a whole and behaves differently to the parts of linear models.

E.g increased knowledge around broca’s area

Question 16

Identify the two strengths of reductionism

Answer 16

• application to drug therapy
• the scientific method contribution

Question 17

identify the two limitations of reductionism

Answer 17

• oversimplification
• ENVR r animal studies

Question 18

explain the drug therapies evaluation point with the counter argument

Answer 18

+ Drug therapies
Practically supports the development and empirical testing of drug therapies.
These therapies are rooted in reductionist theories with the biological focus on genes and neurotransmitters - help millions manage mental health symptoms.

**However,
Success rates of therapies are dependent on the success of treating symptoms and not causes. This may ignore the actual function of the behaviour exhibited

May ignore influence of other factors

Question 19

Explain the scientific method strength of reductionism

Answer 19

Scientific method / scientific approach
As it allows the objective testing of specific variables in controlled experiment to help establish causation
Taking a reductionist and empirical approach has improved psychology science status - and ability to conduct experiments in an objective and reliable way

Question 20

Explain the oversimplification limitation of reductionism

Answer 20

• Looking at the complex interactions between causes for example focussing solely on genetics may disregard the other factors influencing such as social, cognitive and environmental
• Can lead to loss of meaning isolating a factor
• So explaining behaviour in terms of inherited drives and learned responses lacks face validity

E.g behaviour exists at biological level do not include any analysis of the context in which the behaviour occurs.

Question 21

Explain the envr animal studies limitation

Answer 21

Produce simplified explanations for components of behaviour but these may not be generalisable or applicable to human behaviour
As we are influenced by social context and the environment
E.g Harlow

Only a partial explanation

Question 22

Outline the only way to examine some behaviours strength of holism

Answer 22

Such as the social behaviour

Allows for exploring cognitive processes, social interactions and biological factors interact to shape an individuals experience and behaviour.

Inclusion of multiple factors gives holistic explanations more validity than reductionist

Like deindividuation can not be studied in a reductionist away as it only happens under certain personal and socio-environmental conditions

Question 23

Explain the lacking practical value o holism

Answer 23

May lack practical value
Holistic explanations tend to be very complex

Humanistics → suggest many factors contribute to depression such as family circumstances / past / present / genetics etc

But reductionist is not the case as it focuses on

Question 24

Hollisim - lack of utility limitation

Answer 24

high level of complex theories do not lend themself for scientific testing
So may not be useful - low utility and RWA

If we except behaviour is caused by an interaction of intra and inter personal factors - doing anything meaningful is difficult
Hard to identify the specific pinpoint the issue / scientifically prove due to increased amount of interactions.