Psychology issues and debates: Holism and Reductionism
This debate refers to which approach is best to take in order to learn the most about human
behaviour.
Holism
An argument which says it only makes sense to study individual systems, breaking behaviour down
into smaller parts is inappropriate, as it does not inform us on the full essence of a person etc.
Humanistic psychology focusses on individual experience, which cannot be reduced to for example
biological components. They use qualitative methods to analyse whole themes rather than breaking
down into behavioural components.
Reductionism
An argument that human behaviour is best understood by studying its smaller constituent
components, it takes a scientific principle that all phenomena should be explained in its simplest
form.
E.g., explanations of OCD can be broken down as presented, they vary in reduction.
Socio-cultural: OCD disrupts social relationships
Environmental/behavioural: Learning experiences
Neurochemical: underproduction of serotonin
Biological reductionism: A form of reductionism which attempts to explain behaviour at the lowest
form of biological level, in terms of neurotransmitter, hormone secretion, genetical activity as well as
evolutionary influences.
Environmental reductionism: The attempt to explain behaviour in terms of stimulus- response links
that have been learnt through experience, reducing behaviour into means of classical and operant
conditioning. For example, Learning theory in attachment reduces the idea of love between a
mother and baby into a learned association between mother and food.
Evaluation of Holism V Reductionism
One strength of reductionist approaches, (and limitation of holistic) is that they can form basis of a
scientific approach. This is because to conduct well controlled research, variables must be
operationalised to be studied and identify target behaviours, allowing for objective experiments and
observations (behavioural categories). This scientific approach gives psychology greater credibility to
reach equal respect as natural sciences.
Counterpoint: reductionist approaches are known to oversimplify complex behaviours and therefore
reducing its validity. This is because breaking behaviour down into specific explanations e.g.,
biological doesn’t mean it tells us how or where the behaviour derived from. For example, pointing a
finger is the same observable action in any context but would be described to have different
motivations e.g., to draw attention or out of aggression. This suggests that reductionist behaviour
can only explain parts of a behaviour and does not always conclude the roots of the behaviour.
This debate refers to which approach is best to take in order to learn the most about human
behaviour.
Holism
An argument which says it only makes sense to study individual systems, breaking behaviour down
into smaller parts is inappropriate, as it does not inform us on the full essence of a person etc.
Humanistic psychology focusses on individual experience, which cannot be reduced to for example
biological components. They use qualitative methods to analyse whole themes rather than breaking
down into behavioural components.
Reductionism
An argument that human behaviour is best understood by studying its smaller constituent
components, it takes a scientific principle that all phenomena should be explained in its simplest
form.
E.g., explanations of OCD can be broken down as presented, they vary in reduction.
Socio-cultural: OCD disrupts social relationships
Environmental/behavioural: Learning experiences
Neurochemical: underproduction of serotonin
Biological reductionism: A form of reductionism which attempts to explain behaviour at the lowest
form of biological level, in terms of neurotransmitter, hormone secretion, genetical activity as well as
evolutionary influences.
Environmental reductionism: The attempt to explain behaviour in terms of stimulus- response links
that have been learnt through experience, reducing behaviour into means of classical and operant
conditioning. For example, Learning theory in attachment reduces the idea of love between a
mother and baby into a learned association between mother and food.
Evaluation of Holism V Reductionism
One strength of reductionist approaches, (and limitation of holistic) is that they can form basis of a
scientific approach. This is because to conduct well controlled research, variables must be
operationalised to be studied and identify target behaviours, allowing for objective experiments and
observations (behavioural categories). This scientific approach gives psychology greater credibility to
reach equal respect as natural sciences.
Counterpoint: reductionist approaches are known to oversimplify complex behaviours and therefore
reducing its validity. This is because breaking behaviour down into specific explanations e.g.,
biological doesn’t mean it tells us how or where the behaviour derived from. For example, pointing a
finger is the same observable action in any context but would be described to have different
motivations e.g., to draw attention or out of aggression. This suggests that reductionist behaviour
can only explain parts of a behaviour and does not always conclude the roots of the behaviour.
