L5 - Holism and Reductionism

Question 1

Define reductionism

Answer 1

Breaking down a complex phenomenon into constituent elements
Considered desirable as complex are best understood with simple explanations

Question 2

How does reductionism suggest behaviour should be looked at?

Answer 2

By looking at the highest level then progressively looking at component elements

Question 3

What is the highest level?

Answer 3

Cultural and social explanations

Question 4

What is the middle level?

Answer 4

Psychological (behavioural) explanations

Question 5

What is the lowest level?

Answer 5

Biological explanations

Question 6

Define biological reductionism

Answer 6

Human behaviour is reduced to the action of neurons, neurotransmitters, hormones, and other biological components

Question 7

Define environmental reductionism

Answer 7

Behaviour is reduced to the relationship between behaviour and events

Question 8

Define experimental reductionism

Answer 8

Behaviours are reduced to operationalised variables that can be manipulated and measured to determine casual relationships

Question 9

Define holism

Answer 9

An approach which focuses on systems as a whole rather than its constituents
We can’t predict how the whole system will behave based solely on knowledge of its components

Question 10

What is gestalt psychology?

Answer 10

An approach focused mainly on perception, arguing that what we see only makes sense if we look at the whole and not the components individually

Question 11

What is humanistic psychology?

Answer 11

Approach that believes individuals react as an organised whole and not a set of stimulus-response links
The person’s sense of a unified identity is important
Lacking a lack of identity = mental disorder

Question 12

What is cognitive psychology?

Answer 12

Recognising the importance of understanding an entire system

Whole network behaves differently to individual components

Question 13

Evaluation point about drug therapies?

Answer 13

Biological reductionism has led to the development of drug therapies
Able to isolate the cause when studying basic behaviour units e.g. chemical levels

Question 14

2 strengths of reductionism related to studying basic units

Answer 14

Underpin the scientific approach and adds weight so scientific research
More objective to consider basic components of behaviour

Question 15

3 limitations of reductionism

Answer 15

Simplistic and ignores complex interaction of factors
Lost sight of behaviour in context
Lose validity as understand behaviour less as don’t understand the meaning