Reductionism vs holism

Cards (6)

  • What is the behaviourist approach?
    Environmentally reductionist - breaks up complex behaviour into stimulus - response units, ignoring role of biology and cognition.
  • What is the SLT approach?
    Reductionist - reduces complex learning to handful of key processes such as imitation and modelling - ignores biology
  • What is the cognitive approach?
    Machine reductionist - uses computer analogy to explain complex human behaviour - ignores influence of human emotion and how it affects ability to process information.
  • What is the biological approach?
    Biologically reductionist - breaks up complex behaviour and explains it at the level of physical processes in the body - ignores role of environment.
  • What is the psychodynamic approach?
    Reductionist - reduces behaviour to influence of biological drives/instincts including our unconscious mind.
  • What is the humanistic approach?
    Holistic - sees all individuals as unique, investigates all aspects of the individual including the effects of interaction with others.