Reductionism Vs Holism Flashcards
Define the term reductionism
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.
Explain what is meant by the levels of explanation
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)
Explain the term principle of parsimony - which lead to reductionism
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
What are the three types of reductionism?
- biological
- environmental
- experimental
Explain biological reductionism
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
Give an example of biological reductionism
- Schizophrenia excessive activity of dopamine
- OCD - neural explanation
- Maguire et al → taxi study
Outline the ter environmental reductionism
Explaining behaviour in terms of simple relationship between stimulus and response the environmental impact on the individual.
Give the example of environmental reductionism
Learning theory of attachment
Outline the term experimental reductionism
Reducing complex behaviours down into isolated variables in order to conduct research (operationalisation)
Give the example of experimental reductionism
Ainsworth’s Strange situation - as created the list of behavioural categories
Define the term holism
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)
What are the three types of holism?
- Gestalt
- Humanistic
- Cognitive
Define the Gestalt Psychology
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
Explain Humanist psychology
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
Explain cognitive psychology
- 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
Identify the two strengths of reductionism
- application to drug therapy
- the scientific method contribution
identify the two limitations of reductionism
- oversimplification
- ENVR r animal studies
explain the drug therapies evaluation point with the counter argument
+ 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
Explain the scientific method strength of reductionism
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
Explain the oversimplification limitation of reductionism
- 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.
Explain the envr animal studies limitation
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
Outline the only way to examine some behaviours strength of holism
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
Explain the lacking practical value o holism
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
Hollisim - lack of utility limitation
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.
