A01

• What is the holism-reductionism debate about?

  Understanding human behaviour approaches
• What does the holistic approach focus on?

  Studying the whole system
• What happens when a holistic approach is broken down?

  It ceases to be holistic
• Is there a continuum between holism and reductionism?

  No, there is no continuum
• What do different approaches in psychology prefer?

  Either holism or reductionism
• Which type of psychologists take a holistic approach?

  Humanistic psychologists
• Which type of psychologists are reductionist?

  Behaviourists
• What is the continuum within the reductionist approach?

  Levels of explanation
• What does reductionism seek to do?

  Analyse behaviour into constituent parts
• What principle is reductionism based on?

  Scientific principle of parsimony
• How can obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) be understood?

  At various levels of explanation
• What is one socio-cultural level explanation of OCD?

  It interrupts social relationships
• What is a psychological level explanation of OCD?

  The person's experience of anxiety
• What is a physical level explanation of OCD?

  Washing one's hands
• What is an environmental/behavioural level explanation of OCD?

  Learning experiences
• What is a physiological level explanation of OCD?

  Abnormal functioning in the frontal lobes
• What is a neurochemical level explanation of OCD?

  Underproduction of serotonin
• Which level of explanation is the most reductionist?

  Neurochemical level
• How do researchers who favour reductionism view psychology?

  As being replaced by lower sciences
• What does biological reductionism include?

  Neurochemical and physiological levels
• What premise is biological reductionism based on?

  We are biological organisms
• How do biologically reductionist arguments often work?

  They work backwards from effects to causes
• What is environmental reductionism based on?

  All behaviour is learned through interactions
• How do behaviourists explain behaviour?

  In terms of conditioning
• What does the learning theory of attachment reduce love to?

  A learned association between stimuli
• What are the key concepts of the holism-reductionism debate?

  • Holism: studying the whole system
  • Reductionism: breaking down behaviour into parts
  • Levels of explanation in psychology
  • Biological reductionism: biological influences on behaviour
  • Environmental reductionism: behaviour learned through environment
• What are the levels of explanation for OCD?

  1. Socio-cultural level: interrupts social relationships
  2. Psychological level: experience of anxiety
  3. Physical level: movements like hand washing
  4. Environmental/behavioural level: learning experiences
  5. Physiological level: abnormal frontal lobe functioning
  6. Neurochemical level: underproduction of serotonin
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of reductionism in psychology?

  Strengths:

  • Simplifies complex behaviours
  • Facilitates scientific investigation

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • May overlook holistic aspects
  • Can lead to oversimplification