AQA Psychology A Level Issues and
Debates (Latest 2025/ 2026 Update)
Questions and 100% Correct Verified
Answers [Grade A] – University of
California, Berkeley
Holism -correct answer The argument that it only makes sense to study indivisible
system rather than in it's constitute parts
Reductionism -correct answer The belief that human behaviour is best explained by
breaking it down into smaller constitute parts
Biological reductionism -correct answer A form of reductionism that attempts to
explain social and psychological phenomena at a lower biological levels
Led to development and understanding of the effect of psychoactive drugs
Environmental reductionism -correct answer The attempt to explain all behaviour in
terms of stimulus-response and links learned through experience
Levels of explanation -correct answer The idea there are different ways of viewing the
same behaviour in psychology:
Psychological
Physical
Neurochemical
, AQA Psychology A Level Issues and
Debates (Latest 2025/ 2026 Update)
Questions and 100% Correct Verified
Answers [Grade A] – University of
California, Berkeley
Reductionist Hierarchy -correct answer Sociology
Psychology
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Evaluation of Holism -correct answer Advantages: Social behaviours often only
emerge in a group context and so would not be understood using individual
participants e.g. conformity and de-individuation
Disadvantages: Not rigorous scientific testing
E.g. Humanistic approach
Combination of different perspectives means that we are unsure which is the biggest
contributing factor
Evaluation of Reductionism -correct answer Advantages: Forms a scientific basis
E.g. operationalisation of variables involves breaking them down (behavioural
categories in Strange Situation)
Showed how complex learning could be reduced to simple stimulus-response
Debates (Latest 2025/ 2026 Update)
Questions and 100% Correct Verified
Answers [Grade A] – University of
California, Berkeley
Holism -correct answer The argument that it only makes sense to study indivisible
system rather than in it's constitute parts
Reductionism -correct answer The belief that human behaviour is best explained by
breaking it down into smaller constitute parts
Biological reductionism -correct answer A form of reductionism that attempts to
explain social and psychological phenomena at a lower biological levels
Led to development and understanding of the effect of psychoactive drugs
Environmental reductionism -correct answer The attempt to explain all behaviour in
terms of stimulus-response and links learned through experience
Levels of explanation -correct answer The idea there are different ways of viewing the
same behaviour in psychology:
Psychological
Physical
Neurochemical
, AQA Psychology A Level Issues and
Debates (Latest 2025/ 2026 Update)
Questions and 100% Correct Verified
Answers [Grade A] – University of
California, Berkeley
Reductionist Hierarchy -correct answer Sociology
Psychology
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Evaluation of Holism -correct answer Advantages: Social behaviours often only
emerge in a group context and so would not be understood using individual
participants e.g. conformity and de-individuation
Disadvantages: Not rigorous scientific testing
E.g. Humanistic approach
Combination of different perspectives means that we are unsure which is the biggest
contributing factor
Evaluation of Reductionism -correct answer Advantages: Forms a scientific basis
E.g. operationalisation of variables involves breaking them down (behavioural
categories in Strange Situation)
Showed how complex learning could be reduced to simple stimulus-response
