Reductionism vs Holism

• What does holism emphasize in understanding human behavior?

  Analyzing the person or behavior as a whole
• What is reductionism in the context of human behavior?

  Breaking behavior down into its parts
• What principle does reductionism rely on?

  Parsimony
• What is biological reductionism?

  Explaining behavior at a biological level
• How can mental illnesses be explained according to biological reductionism?

  By neurotransmitters in the brain
• Which neurotransmitter is associated with schizophrenia?

  Dopamine
• Which neurotransmitter is linked to OCD and depression?

  Serotonin
• What does environmental (stimulus-response) reductionism focus on?

  Simple stimulus-response relationships
• How do behaviorists understand attachment according to environmental reductionism?

  By reducing it to food production
• Why is psychology considered reductionist?

  It strives to be a science
• What is the highest level of reductionism?

  Sociocultural explanation
• What does the middle level of reductionism refer to?

  Psychological explanation
• What is the lowest level of reductionism?

  Biological explanation
• What do supporters of holism argue about studying individuals?

  • Study the whole person
  • Consider individual experience and emotion
  • Acknowledge the world as seen by the individual
• What does diathesis-stress refer to in psychology?

  Biological vulnerability triggered by stressors
• How do holistic treatments relate to relapse rates?

  They are associated with lower relapse rates
• What is a benefit of holistic explanations in psychology?

  They provide necessary context for behavior
• What is a criticism of holistic explanations?

  They lack scientific rigor and testing
• What dilemma do holistic explanations present for researchers?

  Identifying the most important influencing factor
• What is a strength of reductionism in psychology?

  It allows for operationalized variables
• How does reductionism enhance psychology's credibility?

  By placing it on equal terms with natural sciences
• What is a limitation of operationalized variables in reductionism?

  They may not apply to real life
• What is a practical application of reductionism in treating depression?

  Successful drug therapy options
• What is a criticism of drug treatments for mental illness?

  Variable successes and publication bias
• What is a weakness of reductionist explanations?

  They oversimplify complex behaviors
• What can happen if important factors are ignored in reductionist explanations?

  Reoccurrence of mental disorders