Holism vs Reductionism

• What is the holism-reductionism debate?

  Concerned with the level at which it is appropriate to study human behaviour
• What is holism?

  the belief that any attempt to break up behaviour is inappropriate as it can only be understood by analysing the behaviour or person as a whole
• What approach is emblematic of holism?

  Humanistic approach
• What is reductionism?

  The belief that human behaviour is best understood by studying the smaller constituent parts
• What is biological reductionism?

  Body as a biological organism that can be reduced down to 4 categories; neurochemical, neurophysical, evolutionary & genetic influences
• What is an example of biological reductionism?

  OCD can be reduuced to the level of neurotransmitter activity as drugs that increase serotonin have been found to be effective in treating OCD
• What is environmental determinism?

  Breaks complex learning up into simple stimulus-response links that are measurable within the lab
• What is an example of environmental reductionism?

  The learning theory of attachment reduces the idea of love (b/w baby & person who's feeding) to a learned association b/w the feeder (NS) & food (UCS) resulting in pleasure (CR)
• What approaches are associated with reductionism?

  Biological, behaviourist & cognitive
• What are levels of explanation?

  The idea that there are several ways (levels) that can be used to explain behaviour

  1. Socio-cultural level
  2. Psychological level
  3. Environmental/behavioural level
  4. Physiological level
  5. Biological level
• How is OCD understood through the levels of explanation?

  1. Socio-cultural level - OCD interrupts social relationships
  2. Psychological - the person's experience of anxiety
  3. Environmental/behavioural - learning experiences
  4. Physiological - abnormal functioning in the frontal lobes
  5. Biological - underproduction of serotonin