holism & reductionism

• define holism

  understanding human behaviour by viewing the individual as a whole
• key concept of holism

  human behaviour is complex and involves interaction between different elements
• example of holism

  diathesis-stress model
• key approach linked to holism

  humanistic psychology
• define reductionism

  complex behaviours are best understood by breaking them into simpler and basic components
• key concept of reductionism

  complex behaviours are reduced to simpler causes
• example of reductionism

  biological explanation of OCD
• 3 levels of explanation in psychology

  1. sociocultural level
  2. psychological level
  3. biological level
• sociocultural level of explanation

  how society, culture and social norms shape behaviour

  • e.g. bartlett - cultural explanations affect recall
• psychological level of explanation

  focuses on internal cognitive and emotional processes

  • e.g. schizophrenia is a result of distorted thinking and lack of central control
• biological level of explanation

  focuses on brain structures, hormones and genetic factors that influence behaviour

  • e.g. criminal behaviour reduced to a MAOA gene and serotonin
• outline biological reductionism

  explains complex behaviour in terms of biological factors
• example of biological reductionism

  biological explanation of OCD
• outline environmental reductionism

  explains behaviour in terms of stimulus-response mechanism
• example of environmental determinism

  classical and operant conditioning
• strength of holism - complexity

  provides detailed understanding

  • humanistic psychology focuses on the whole person
  • useful when understanding complex mental health issues
  • valuable for producing realistic and meaningful insights
• weakness of holism - lacks scientific rigor

  relies on unscientific methods

  • use qualitative methods which are subjective and lack replicability
  • difficult to establish cause and effect relationships
  • less respected in scientific psychology
• strength of holism - real-world application

  effective in applied psychology

  • mental health treatments use a biopsychosocial model
  • treating the person as a whole leads to more successful outcomes
  • holistic approaches can be more effective and personalised
• strength of reductionism - scientific credibility

  use of scientific and objective methods

  • use of brain scans, hormonal measurements and drug trials
  • methods are controlled, replicable and produce quantifiable data
  • allows psychology to be studied scientifically and empirically
• weakness of reductionism - oversimplifies

  ignores important factors

  • ignores thoughts, upbringing and life experiences
  • incomplete explanations and treatments
  • lack real-world validity
• strength of reductionism - practical applications

  effective treatments and interventions

  • development of antipsychotic medication for schizophrenia
  • reduce symptoms and improve quality of life
  • produces real-world benefits