Holism vs. Reductionism

Copy down in your own words!Holism vs. Reductionism

The holism reductionism debate in

psychology refers to whether it is more

appropriate to study behaviour by breaking it

down into small component parts or to study

many interacting and complex aspects of

behaviour as a whole.

Holism

Holism

Holism

Holism is any approach that emphasises the whole system, the whole person,

whole of behaviour or whole experience rather than the component parts.

Two examples in psychology are the Gestalt approach and the Humanistic approach.

1. Gestalt approach

• Applied to the study of perception…. “Behaviours can only be understood in terms of its whole rather than the sum of its parts”.

• For example: what do you see?

Answer

• A rectangle…

We tend to ignore the gaps or component parts i.e. 4 lines, one line shorter than the others…. And instead we fill in the gaps, put it altogether to make a whole familiar shape or image!

Read this sentence

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd wa ht I was rdanieg…..

When participants are asked to read this they never seem to have a problem understanding it….the context in which a word is placed is part of the whole experience…..

Gestalt psychology

Therefore…

When studying any aspect of human

behaviour it is essential to look at unified

wholes, complete structures and totalities.

1. Insight learning

This is a type of learning whereby a new behaviour is acquired simply through the process of insight rather than trial and error. This has been known as the ‘aha experience’ and is the sudden solution to a problem. It is when all the parts are seen in relationship to each other and it forms a meaningful whole. (the stick, banana, distance, other chimps etc) Kohler (1925) criticises the

Stimulus response theory

2. Humanistic approachHumanists believe that to analyse personality in terms of simple component parts is ‘disrespect for the unique quality of the human spirit’ (Matson 1971).

This is because Maslows study of the drive for self actualisation gives purpose to the whole of the person, i.e. their feelings, passions, families, work colleagues, adrenaline, motivations, career opportunities, money etc……

Rogers uses CCT to encourage the person to develop a sense of a whole person by maximising their fulfilment in their community as a whole

Interactionist approach

This approach considers several different

levels of explanation to explain behaviours.

For example to explain abnormal behaviours one might take into account, biological causes, social causes and cognitive causes…

Exam questions….

Holism

If we want to understand depression for

example, what components would we need

to discuss to find a cause?

Holism

According to Gestalt psychologists the

general principle of holism can be neatly

summarised as follows;

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Holism

Holism explains behaviour using several

levels of explanation including biological,

environmental, and psychological.

Perspectives to support

See table…

Unscramble the words

• Read the handout and aim to work out the sentence and keyword answer..

Activity : Unscramble the sentence then try to solve the keyword:

1. component behaviours emphasises the rather approach parts whole that experience than the as the explanation for Any

Mliohs

2. assumes approach greater whole sum This that the parts is its than the ofTltaseg

3. error aha as learn Known the this experience, ability is the to solution to come a to a without needing to through trial problem and

Thgsini ginnreal

4. that spirit’ personality believe to analyse in component human terms disrespect of parts is ‘simple for the unique quality of the. They

Smianumh

Answers!1. Any approach that emphasises the whole experience

rather than the component parts as the explanation for behaviours

HolismThis approach assumes that the whole is greater than the

sum of its parts.GestaltKnown as the aha experience, this is the ability to come to

a solution to a problem without needing to learn through trial and error

Insight LearningThey believe that to analyse personality in terms of simple

component parts is ‘disrespect for the unique quality of the human spirit’

Humanism

Exam question

In the context of the holism reductionism

debate, explain what is meant by holism.

(4 marks).

Levels of explanation

The idea that the whole can be reduced to

its simplest component parts, that is,

reductionism, results in a number of different

levels of explanation.

Copy and complete table

Holism

Lesson Objectives:

Recap starter

Holism question

Evaluations

Think

• In pairs select a range of science and art subjects. Continue the levels of explanation to the highest (most holistic) and the lowest (greatest reductionism) that you can think of.

• From this you should see that the levels of explanation represent only a small band in the middle of a much wider spectrum of levels.

Exam question

• In the context of the holism reductionism debate, explain what is meant by holism. (4 marks).

AnswerHolism argues it is best to explain both normal and abnormal behaviours by using several levels of explanation, including environmental, biological and psychological factors. Humanistic psychology is probably the most holistic perspective since it takes into account the whole person, their interactions with people and their social context.

A supporter of the reductionist view however would argue it is better to reduce the whole behaviour into its simplest parts (biology and physiology) and then analyse it . This would go completely against the Gestalt theory, ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’.

See handouts

• Perspectives in support of holism

• Evaluations for and against holism

Exam question

• Briefly outline a holistic (interactionist) theory which tries to explain atypical behaviour. Give two advantages of this theory.

• I.e. takes into account different levels of explanation for the cause of that behaviour: the diathesis stress model

Reductionism

To understand human beings we must

psychologists have to analyse and reduce

the whole into the simplest component parts

and then analyse that.

Essay

• We will prepare an essay once we have finished the Reductionism debate….

Holism

So we cannot get a full picture of the whole

person by analysing small component parts

such as the brain, cognitive processes

(memory) or specific personality traits such

as aggression. Such a method is

inadequate.

Holism to Reductionistic

Human conscious

thought and experience

Brain and brain operations such

as visual and motor cortex

Psychological components

such as memory,

attention and emotions etc

Neurons and interconnections

between neurons

Holistic Reductionist

THINKThink about a three machines/or any physical – living thing i.e. an aeroplane. If

someone had never seen these before and simply observed them in a stationary

position, how do you think they might know what each does from looking at all the component parts?

• Reductionism involves explaining any behaviour/phenomenon by breaking it down into its smallest parts and then analysing it.