Holism & reductionism

• Reductionism - breaks complex phenomena into more simple components
• Holism - considers the whole experience
• What approach is an example of holism?

  Humanistic approach looks at the subjective experience of the patient instead of breaking it down into genetic & environmental factors
• Reductionism AO3:

  • ❌ Meaning may be overlooked - Freud & Little Hans - distracts from a more appropriate treatment
  • ✅ Scientific - easier to establish cause & effect - basis of operationalisation
  • ❌ Environmental reductionism: Developed using animals - not appropriate for more complex behaviours - ignores other influences ( e.g. emotions, intentions )
  • Biological reductionism : ✅ Development of drug therapies, doesn’t blame the patient ❌ Ignores other factors
• Reductionism AO3:

  • ❌ Meaning may be overlooked
  • ✅ Scientific
  • ❌ Environmental reductionism
  • ❌✅ Biological reductionism
• Reductionism:

  • Breaks complex phenomena into more simple components

  Levels of explanation - the reductionist approach in psychology suggests that explanations begin at the highest level & progressively look at component elements

  Cultural & social

  Environmental - everything is stimulus-response

  Biological - argues that all behaviour can be reduced to neurochemistry, physiology, evolution & genetics