Holism & Reductionism

Question 1

Tell me about it not being a continuum

Question 2

What are the key concepts of the debate

HRLBE

Answer 2

Holism
Reductionism
Levels of explanation
Biological reductionism
Environmental reductionism

Question 3

What is Holism

Answer 3

Proposes the idea that it only makes sense to study a whole system - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Question 4

What is Reductionism

Answer 4

Based on the scientific principle of parsimony - that all phenomena should be explained using the simplest principles

Question 5

What is Biological Reductionism

Answer 5

Suggests all behaviour can be explained through neurochemical, physiological, evolutionary and/or genetic influences

Question 6

What is Enviornmental reductionism

Answer 6

Proposes that all behaviour is acquired through interactions from the environment ie the behaviourist approach

Question 7

Levels of explanation

Answer 7

For example, OCD can be understood in different ways:
- Socio-cultural level - behaviour most people would regard as odd
- Psychological level - individual’s experience of having obsessive thoughts
- Physical level - sequence of movements, ie washing hands
- Neurochemical ;eel - underproduction of serotonin

Can argue about which is the ‘best’ explanation of PCD, but each level is more reductionist than the one before

Question 8

What are strenghts and limitations?

Answer 8

Strength: Reductionism and scientific status

Limitation: Holism may lack practical value

Need for higher level explanations for reductionism

Brain and mind

Question 9

Tell me about the strength of reductionism

Answer 9

In order to conduct well-controlled research, variables need to be operationalised (target behaviours broken down into constituent parts)

This makes it possible to conduct experiments or record observations (behavioural categories) in a way that is objective and reliable

This scientific approach gives psychology greater credibility, placing it on equal terms with the natural sciences

Question 10

Tell me about the limitation of holism and practical value

Answer 10

Holistic accounts of human behaviour become hard to use as they become more complex with presents researchers with a practical dilemma

If many different factors contribute to, say, depression, then it becomes difficult to know which s most influential and which to priotise for treatment

This suggests that holistic account may lack practical value (whereas reductionist accounts may be better).

Question 11

Tell me the limitation of the need for higher level explanations

Answer 11

There are aspects of social behavioir tht only emerge withina group context and cannot be understood in the terms of the individual group members

For example, the Stanford prison study could not be understood by observing the particiapnts as individuals, it was the behaviour of the group that was important

This shows that, for some behaviours, higher (or even holistic) level explanations provide a more valid account

Question 12

Tell me about the brain and mind evaluation

Answer 12

A reductionist account of consciousness would argue that we are thinking machines - that cognitive processes are associated with physical processes in the brain

On the other hand, neuroscientists struggle to explain the subjective experience of the same neural process. This is referred to as the ‘explanatory’ gap in brain science.

This suggests that not all aspects if consciousness, particularly individual differences in experience, can be explained by brain activity