🌐 Issues + Debates - Holism vs Reductionism

Question 1

Where does the word Holism come from

Answer 1

The Greek work ‘holos’ which means all, whole or entire

Question 2

Idea of holism

Answer 2

It is the idea that human behaviour should be viewed as a whole integrated experience and not as separate parts

Often referred to as Gestalt Psychology

Question 3

What did Gestalt Psychologists declare

Answer 3

In the 1920s/30s, Gestalt Psychologists declared:

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”

Causing them to attempt to understand human behaviour through analysing the person or the behaviour as a whole rather than its constituent parts

Question 4

What is Gestalt Psychology

Answer 4

Gestalten - German word for whole

It is German psychologists who specialised in the study of perception which argued that explanations for what we see only makes sense through a consideration of the whole rather than individual elements

Declared the world is greater than the sum of its parts

Question 5

Which approach links to holism

Answer 5

Humanistic approach

Question 6

How does the humanistic approach links to holism

Answer 6

The humanistic approach takes a holistic approach by viewing individual as whole, unique beings rather than breaking behaviour down into separate parts or focusing on only 1 aspect

Humanistic psychologists consider thoughts, emotions, experiences and personal meanings together, do not study one element in isolation

Humans seen to have free will and an innate drive towards self actualisation, requires understanding the persons life as a complete integrated experience

No general laws, unique wholes

Question 7

What did Roger’s state to do with holism

Answer 7

‘Trying to understand behaviour in terms of laws of conditioning or biological processes is disrespectful of our unique differences.’ (Rogers)

Question 8

Treatment linked to holism

Answer 8

Therapy such as CBT, takes all factors into account

Recognises that thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviours are all interconnected and influence one another

But also LESS holistic than humanistic approach because it focuses mainly on cognition and behaviour

Question 9

Benefits of holism

Answer 9

• provides a more complete picture
• accepts and deals wire the complex nature of behaviour
• behaviour is influenced by many factors so holistic explanations may be more useful
• rich, detailed information used
• considers individual differences

Question 10

Limitations of holism

Answer 10

• it is difficult to investigate the many differing types and levels of explanation
• more hypothetical, not based on empirical evidence
• lack of objectivity cannot establish cause and effect
• prevents predicting behaviour
• neglects importance of biological influences

Question 11

What is reductionism

Answer 11

Reduces behaviour down to its constituent parts, looking at individual components that could play a part in behaviour e.g genes, hormones, environment.

Attempts to isolate individual elements of causes of behaviour whilst ignoring any other potential causes

Question 12

What is biological reductionism

Answer 12

The way biological psychologists try to reduce behaviour to a physical level and explain it in terms of neurons, neurotransmitters, hormones, brain structure etc

Question 13

What is environmental reductionism

Answer 13

Also known as stimulus response reductionism, behaviourists assume all behaviour can be reduced to the simple building blocks of SR, stimulus response.

human behavior can be explained by simple, learned associations between environmental triggers (stimuli) and actions (responses

Question 14

Example of biological reductionism

Answer 14

Psychopathology, the biological approach which claims OCD is caused but higher levels of dopamine and lower levels of serotonin

Question 15

Example of environmental reductionism

Answer 15

Psychopathology: The behaviourist approach which claims that phobias are initiated through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning

Question 16

Strengths of biological reductionism

Answer 16

• development of drug therapies possible with a reductionist approach
• more humane/ethical approach for treating mental disorders as it does not blame the patient
• greater tolerance/acceptance of mental disorders in society

Question 17

Limitations of biological reductionism

Answer 17

• drug therapies are based on the lowest level of explaining behaviour, treat the symptoms not the cause
• dependency on drugs
• external locus of control

Question 18

Each approach and their stance on the holism vs reductionism debate

Answer 18

SLT = partially reductionist
Biological = reductionist
Behaviourist = reductionist
Psychodynamic = mostly reductionist
Humanistic = holistic

Question 19

Strengths of environmental reductionism

Answer 19

Development of treatment (CBT)

Question 20

Limitations of environmental reductionists

Answer 20

• behaviourists stimulus response approaches were based on animal studies
• humans are much more complex than animals and environmental reductionism reduces human behaviour to SR whilst ignoring potential influencing factors such as the socio cultural context

Question 21

Benefits of reductionism

Answer 21

• consistent with scientific approach, clearly defined behaviours reduced to single components
• empirical method can be used
• allows cause and effect, predictive behaviour
• potential to help develop specific treatments
• more objective, scientifically acceptable

Question 22

Limitations of reductionism

Answer 22

• ignores complexity of behaviour and can be oversimplified
• leaves out the other levels of explanation

Question 23

What are levels of explanation in psychology

Answer 23

Rose (1976): the notion of ‘levels of explanation’ suggests that there are different ways of viewing the same phenomena in psychology. Explanations vary from those at a lower or more fundamental level focusing on basic components or units to those at a higher more holistic level

Question 24

Highest, middle and lower level of explanations in psychology

Answer 24

Highest = cultural and social explanations of how social group effects our behaviour

Middle = psychological explanations (cognitive SLT)

Lower = biological explanations

Question 25

Briefly outline what psychologists mean by ‘levels of explanation’. [2 marks]

Answer 25

A lower level explanation would be a more reductionist explanation, for example OCD is caused by an imbalance of neurochemicals. A higher-level explanation would be much more holistic and sophisticated and would recognise that there are many factors and explanations which need to be considered when trying to explain a complex disorder such as OCD