Reductionism

• Breaks down complex phenomena into more simple components - the whole is equal to the sum of its parts

  Based on the idea of parsimony - that all behaviours should be explained using the most basic principles (lowest level principle)
• Biological reductionism

  Explaining behaviour at the lowest level of explanation, in terms of neural and genetic mechanisms
• Environmental reductionism

  Explaining behaviour in terms of a simple relationship between stimulus and response
• Experimental reductionism

  Reducing complex behaviours down to isolate variable for study (operalisational)
• Machine reductionism

  Reducing behaviours down to simple information processing (input-output): saying that behaviour is simply the results of 'units' of activity
• Biological level of reductionism

  Simplifying behaviour down to neurotransmitters, genes, brain chemistry, etc (schizophrenia can be explained through genes)
• Psychological level of reductionism

  Role of cognitive factors like our schemas used to process the outside world, and the immediate environment in terms of upbringing, eg reward and punishment (Schizophrenia can be explained through lack of central control)
• Socio-cultural level of reductionism

  Conditions can only be understood in context of those around them (schizophrenia results from attitudes towards mental health in society)
• Application to offending

  • Biological - Criminal behaviour is down to the warrior/MAOA gene, and linked to serotonin in prefrontal cortex/OCD
  • Psychological - hostile attribution bias (distorted thinking), predisposition to perceiving other people as hostile and out to get them
  • Socio-cultural - Differential association theory, economic power in hands of wealthy making lower classes more likely to commit crimes
• Strength - Enables scientific research

  Experimental reductionism enables us to operationalise variables

  • Enables us to establish causation - gives psychology scientific credibility
  • Enabled our understanding of behaviour and allowed for many findings
  • Arguably not that useful as it cannot be used outside of lab settings
• Strength - Led to the development of therapies for disorders

  Eg, SSRI's for OCD (Biological), Systematic desensitisation for phobias (Psychological)

  • Aren't always 100% effective as using drugs and therapies together is seen as much more efficient
  • Mental health can be seen as more interactionist
• Weakness - Oversimplifies behaviour and ignores important factors