Holism vs Reductionism

Question 1

Who are Gestalt psychologists? What do they believe?

Answer 1

A group of German Psychologists working in 1920s and 1930s known collectively as Gestalt psychologists.

‘The whole is greater than the sum of its parts’. Any attempt to break up behaviour and experience is inappropriate as these can only be understood by analysing the person as a whole.

Question 2

What is holism?

Answer 2

Considers many aspects of a phenomenon to give a complete picture.

Question 3

What psychological approach links to holism?

Answer 3

Humanism

Question 4

What is reductionism?

Answer 4

Involves breaking down a complex phenomenon into more simple components.

Question 5

What scientific principle does reductionism link to?

Answer 5

Based on the scientific principle of parsimony.

Question 6

What is parsimony?

Answer 6

The idea that all phenomena should be explained using the most basic (lowest level) principles.

This is often the simplest, easiest, and most economical level of explanation.

Question 7

What are 2 advantages to the reductionist approach?

Answer 7

Easier to study, as complexities are broken down.

Allows for in-depth study, as more of a focus can be placed on an area.

Question 8

What are 2 disadvantages to the reductionist approach?

Answer 8

Looks at one element of a whole, so cannot necessarily be applied fully.

Ignores interactions.

Question 9

Where does cognitive sit on the ‘holism-reductionism’ timeline?

Answer 9

Far reductionism.

Question 10

Where does biological sit on the ‘holism-reductionism’ timeline?

Answer 10

Far reductionism.

Question 11

Where does humanism sit on the ‘holism-reductionism’ timeline?

Answer 11

Far holism.

Question 12

Where does neo-behaviourism sit on the ‘holism-reductionism’ timeline?

Answer 12

Far reductionism.

Question 13

Where does behaviourism sit on the ‘holism-reductionism’ timeline?

Answer 13

Far reductionism.

Question 14

Where does psychodynamic sit on the ‘holism-reductionism’ timeline?

Answer 14

Between holism and the middle.

Question 15

Why does cognitive sit on the reductionism far side of the nature-nurture timeline?

Answer 15

Focus is on thought processes.

E.g. input, process, output

Question 16

Why does biological sit on the reductionism far side of the nature-nurture timeline?

Answer 16

Genes/ NTs/ neurochemistry.

Question 17

Why does humanism sit in the middle of the nature-nurture timeline?

Answer 17

Looks at individuals as a whole.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs considers the range of factors to contribute to a whole.

Question 18

Why does neo-behaviourism sit on the reductionism far side of the nature-nurture timeline?

Answer 18

Suggests behaviour can be simply broken down.

E.g. ARRM.

Question 19

Why does behaviourism sit on the reductionism far side of the nature-nurture timeline?

Answer 19

It attempts to reduce all aspects of human behaviour down to just one level of explanation.

For example, it reduces complex behaviours down to learning through our environment through association and rewards and punishment.

Question 20

Why does psychodynamic sit in between the middle and the holism side of the nature-nurture timeline?

Answer 20

Considers personality (id, ego, superego), psychosexual stages.

Large emphasis on childhood.

Also looks at primitive biological drives. E.g. defence mechanisms.

Question 21

What do the levels of explanations suggest?

Answer 21

The notion of ‘levels of explanation’ suggests that there are different ways of viewing the same phenomena in psychology.

Some are more reductionist for example focusing on basic components of behaviour, whilst others take a more multivariable (holistic) stance.

Question 22

What are the 3 levels including in the levels of explanation.

Answer 22

Cultural and social.

Psychological.

Biological.

Question 23

Outline ‘cultural and social’ as a level of explanation.

Answer 23

Social factors.

Norms.

Situational variables.

Question 24

Outline ‘psychological’ as a level of explanation.

Answer 24

Emotional and cognitive factors.

Question 25

Outline ‘biological’ as a level of explanation.

Answer 25

Physical.

Physiological.

Neurochemical.

Question 26

Using OCD as an example: Outline the psychological level of explanation.

Answer 26

Anxiety, loss of possession.

Emotional responses, chasing short-term relief. E.g. washing hands.

Question 27

Using OCD as an example: Outline the biological level of explanation.

Answer 27

Abnormal brain circuits.

Specific genes.

Question 28

Using OCD as an example: Outline the cultural and social level of explanation.

Answer 28

Struggle to fit in with social norms, a coping mechanism.

Social learning, internalisation.

Question 29

What is biological reductionism?

Answer 29

Biological reductionism is explaining behaviour using biological systems.

This could be genetics, physiology of the body and brain, or systems. (Biochemistry).

Question 30

In terms of the levels of explanation, how reductionist is biological reductionism?

Answer 30

In terms of the levels of explanation, it is as reductionist as psychology goes.

Question 31

What are 2 advantages of the biological reductionist approach?

Answer 31

More precise and simple explanation, which is a great deal more scientific than the ones at the higher and more general levels of explanation.

An explanation that is biologically reductionist can also be tested more easily and more effectively.

A desirable consequence is also that it can be used to generate an appropriate treatment, if the condition requires one.

Question 32

What is a disadvantage of the biological reductionist approach?

Answer 32

There are issues with being too simplistic, however, and this means that biological explanations are sometimes viewed as incomplete.

Question 33

What is environmental reductionism?

Answer 33

A form of reductionism that simplifies a behaviour to a stimulus-response action.

This level of explanation is advocated by behaviourist theorists. Classical conditioning is one such example.

Question 34

What are 3 advantages of environmental reductionism?

Answer 34

Explains many behaviours really well.

The simplicity of explanations based on stimulus-response reactions means that it is easier to test the explanation.

Has the advantage of parsimony, which means that by being simple it is argued to be more effective than a complex explanation for the same behaviour.

Question 35

What is a disadvantage of environmental reductionism?

Answer 35

The simplicity of the explanations is seen as a flaw and the explanations are inadequate for describing the complexities of human behaviour.