Holism and reductionism

• What do many psychologists prefer when explaining behavior?

  A clear, precise explanation
• Why might someone be aggressive according to psychologists?

  Due to positive reinforcement of past aggression
• What is a benefit of having a reductionist explanation for behavior?

  It allows for testing simple explanations
• How can genetic tests help in understanding disorders?

  By identifying certain genes in populations
• What role do neurotransmitter levels play in treatments?

  They can be targeted with drug treatments
• What is a criticism of reductionist explanations?

  They may oversimplify complex behaviors
• What do holistic explanations include?

  All factors interacting with each other
• What are the levels of explanation in psychology?

  • Lower levels focus on basic components
  • Higher levels consider multiple interacting variables
• How might a social psychologist explain aggression?

  As influenced by cultural factors
• What do cognitive psychologists use to explain the brain?

  The computer analogy
• How do different psychologists explain the same behavior?

  From different levels of explanation
• What is a second reinforcer in behaviorism?

  Money or group status
• How do schemas relate to aggressive behavior?

  They are formed from rewarding experiences
• What is a criticism of viewing the brain like a computer?

  It limits understanding of emotions
• What does reductionism allow psychologists to do?

  Identify individual variables for testing
• What is a potential downside of reductionism?

  It may overlook other valid explanations
• What is an emergent property in psychology?

  A feature that arises from complex interactions
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of reductionism and holism?

  Advantages of reductionism:

  • Allows objective testing of variables
  • Establishes cause and effect relationships

  
  

  Disadvantages of reductionism:

  • Ignores interactions between variables
  • Oversimplifies complex human experiences
• What is the focus of idiographic investigation?

  Individual cases and detailed information
• What is the role of reinforcement in behaviorism?

  It strengthens behaviors through rewards
• How can drug therapies be beneficial?

  They help control symptoms of disorders
• How do cultural factors influence aggression?

  They shape perceptions of acceptable behavior
• What is the significance of serotonin and dopamine in behavior?

  They are involved in reward and pleasure
• What is the main argument of holism?

  To include the whole person in explanations
• What is the relationship between genes and behavior according to psychologists?

  Genes interact with environmental factors
• How do reinforcement and schemas interact in behavior?

  Reinforcement strengthens schemas formed by experiences
• What is the goal of balancing reductionism and holism in research?

  To gather meaningful and objective information
• What is the purpose of the psych Boost flashcard app?

  To test knowledge with multiple choice questions
• What is the significance of the term "parsimony" in reductionism?

  It advocates for the simplest explanation
• How do different scientific perspectives contribute to understanding behavior?

  They provide varied but valid explanations
• What is the relationship between behavior and environmental factors?

  Environmental factors can reinforce or punish behavior
• What is the focus of nomothetic investigation?

  General laws and theories across populations
• How does the brain respond to pleasant and unpleasant stimuli?

  It strengthens connections for pleasant experiences
• What is the significance of understanding levels of explanation in psychology?

  It helps clarify different perspectives on behavior
• What is the role of case studies in holistic psychology?

  They provide rich, detailed information
• What is the main focus of biological psychologists?

  Biological variables influencing behavior
• How do reinforcement and schemas relate to aggression?

  They interact to shape aggressive behavior
• What is the impact of cultural context on behavior?

  It influences how behaviors are perceived
• What is the significance of the interaction between genes and environment?

  It shapes individual behavior and responses
• What is the focus of behavioral psychology?

  Stimulus-response mechanisms