Holism + Reductionism Flashcards

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1
Q

What is reductionism?

A

An approach that breaks complex phenomena into more simple components.

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2
Q

Why is reductionism desirable?

A

Because complex phenomena are best understood in terms of a simpler level of explanation.

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3
Q

What are the 3 types of reductionism?

A

Biological, environmental and experimental.

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4
Q

What is biological reductionism?

A

When behaviour is reduced to the action of neurons, neurotransmitters and hormones.

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5
Q

What is environmental reductionism?

A

When behaviour is reduced to stimulus-response links.

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6
Q

What is experimental reductionism?

A

When behaviour is reduced to isolated variables.

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7
Q

What is holism?

A

When a behaviour such as memory or mental disorder is perceived as a whole experience rather than the individual features and/or the relations between them.

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8
Q

What is Gestalt psychology?

A

An approach favoured by German psychologists at the beginning of the 20th century, which focuses on perception.

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9
Q

Which approach favours holism?

A

Humanistic psychology.

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10
Q

Which one does cognitive psychology favour?

A

Holism - connectionist networks are used to understand memory.

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11
Q

What are the 3 different levels of explanation?

A

Sociocultural, psychological and biological

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12
Q

What are the 4 AO3 points of holism + reductionism?

A

1) Lower level explanations = dangerous
2) RWA of biological reductionism
3) Use of animal studies in support for environmental reductionism
4) Experimental psychology is limited

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13
Q

If lower levels of explanation are taken in isolation, what may happen?

A

The meaning of behaviour may be overlooked

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14
Q

In the case study of the woman with the phobia of wasps, what was the cause of her phobia?

A

Her husband gave her an insect nickname

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15
Q

What has biological reductionism lead to a development of?

A

Drug therapies

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16
Q

Why is the development of drug therapy good?

A

Reduced institutionalisation

17
Q

Why are drug therapies more humane than other therapies?

A

They don’t blame the patient

18
Q

Why may drug therapies be ineffective?

A

Some behaviours are strongly influenced by environment rather than behaviour

19
Q

Why is the use of animal studies in support for environmental reductionism a limitation?

A

Human brains are much more complex + ignores cognitive and emotional factors

20
Q

Why may experimental reductionism not produce findings congruent with real life?

A

The operationalisation of variables allows for a scientific experiment to occur + measurable behaviour, however, it bears no resemblance to real life

21
Q

Give an example of experimental reductionism not being congruent with real life findings.

A

Loftus and Palmer laboratory experiment into EWT