Holism & Reductionism

• What are the two main approaches discussed in the study material regarding behavior explanation?

  Holism and reductionism
• What is the key focus of holism in psychology?


  To analyze behavior as a whole rather than breaking it down into parts
• What does reductionism propose about behavior analysis?


  It suggests breaking behavior down into its individual parts
• What scientific principle is reductionism based on?


  The principle of parsimony
• What is biological reductionism?


  It explains behavior using biological systems like genetics and physiology
• How does biological reductionism explain schizophrenia?


  By suggesting it is caused by excessive amounts of dopamine
• What is environmental (stimulus-response) reductionism linked to?


  The behaviorist approach
• How do behaviorists explain attachment in terms of environmental reductionism?


  By reducing it to probabilities of reinforcement from the mother
• What does holism suggest about predicting behavior?


  That behavior cannot be predicted based solely on individual components
• Which psychological perspective takes a holistic stance?


  Humanistic psychology
• What does holism argue regarding the complexity of human behavior?


  That it requires a broader perspective beyond individual components
• What is a disadvantage of holism compared to reductionism?


  It is less scientific and harder to predict behavior
• How does biological reductionism facilitate treatment for mental health issues?


  By developing biological therapies like drug treatments
• Why do most psychologists believe a purely reductionist explanation is insufficient?


  Because behavior is complex and involves multiple factors
• What is a potential issue with taking a reductionist viewpoint in treatment?


  It may address symptoms rather than underlying causes
• What is a limitation of environmental reductionism when applied to humans?


  It may not account for the complexity of human social context
• How does research into conformity support holism?


  It shows that social behaviors emerge only in group contexts
• What example illustrates the limitations of reductionist approaches in understanding behavior?


  The Stanford prison experiment's findings on social roles
• What are the key differences between holism and reductionism?

  • Holism focuses on systems as a whole.
  • Reductionism breaks behavior down into individual parts.
  • Holism acknowledges complexity; reductionism seeks simplicity.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of biological reductionism?


  Strengths:

  • Facilitates development of biological therapies.
  • Provides clear, testable hypotheses.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • May ignore psychological and social factors.
  • Can lead to oversimplification of complex behaviors.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of environmental reductionism?


  Strengths:

  • Simple and straightforward explanations.
  • Useful in animal behavior studies.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Limited applicability to human behavior.
  • Ignores cognitive and social influences.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of holism?


  Strengths:

  • Acknowledges complexity of human behavior.
  • Provides a broader perspective on behavior.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Less scientific and harder to predict.
  • May lack specificity in explanations.