Holism and reductionism
Reductionism = belief that human behaviour can be explained by breaking it
down into simple component parts.
- Biological reductionism = reducing behaviour to a biological mechanism
- Environmental = reducing behaviour to a stimulus-response (CC,OC)
There are levels of explanation which demonstrate HOW reductionist a theory
is: Highest level of explanation considers social and cultural explanations and is
the least reductionist. Middle level of explanation considers ‘psychological’
explanations (cognitive and behavioural). Lowest level of explanation considers
physiological explanations – genes, neurotransmitters and brain structure.
Top of triangle: social and cultural explanations – Mead the extent innate
behaviours are expressed is the result of cultural norms. The media provides
role models who children may want to identify with and imitate which could
lead to mediational processes.
Bottom of triangle/point: biological explanations (neurochemicals, genetic,
brain structure) – Chromosomes determine the gender. Chromosomal
structure for a female is XX whilst for males its XY. The Y chromosome carries a
gene called SRY which causes testes to develop in an XY embryo, these
produce androgens – male sex hormones.
2 psychological – Gender schema theory - A gender schema is a mental
framework for gender developed through our experiences. Suggests that gender
schemas occur once a child has established their gender identity around 2-3 years, as
they begin to search the environment for information which encourages
development of their gender schema. By the age of 6, kids then have a fixed and
stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for their gender so are likely to
misremember information that doesn’t fit with their existing gender schema.
Children will also have a better understanding of the schema appropriate to their
own gender, referred to as their ingroup, as they pay more attention to information
relevant to their gender identity rather than the other gender, the outgroup. It isn’t
until a child is 8 when they then develop schemas for both genders as opposed to
their own.
Ao3:
Scientists are drawn to reductionist explanations as a method of research as it
allows them to create operationalised variables that can be measured. For
Reductionism = belief that human behaviour can be explained by breaking it
down into simple component parts.
- Biological reductionism = reducing behaviour to a biological mechanism
- Environmental = reducing behaviour to a stimulus-response (CC,OC)
There are levels of explanation which demonstrate HOW reductionist a theory
is: Highest level of explanation considers social and cultural explanations and is
the least reductionist. Middle level of explanation considers ‘psychological’
explanations (cognitive and behavioural). Lowest level of explanation considers
physiological explanations – genes, neurotransmitters and brain structure.
Top of triangle: social and cultural explanations – Mead the extent innate
behaviours are expressed is the result of cultural norms. The media provides
role models who children may want to identify with and imitate which could
lead to mediational processes.
Bottom of triangle/point: biological explanations (neurochemicals, genetic,
brain structure) – Chromosomes determine the gender. Chromosomal
structure for a female is XX whilst for males its XY. The Y chromosome carries a
gene called SRY which causes testes to develop in an XY embryo, these
produce androgens – male sex hormones.
2 psychological – Gender schema theory - A gender schema is a mental
framework for gender developed through our experiences. Suggests that gender
schemas occur once a child has established their gender identity around 2-3 years, as
they begin to search the environment for information which encourages
development of their gender schema. By the age of 6, kids then have a fixed and
stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for their gender so are likely to
misremember information that doesn’t fit with their existing gender schema.
Children will also have a better understanding of the schema appropriate to their
own gender, referred to as their ingroup, as they pay more attention to information
relevant to their gender identity rather than the other gender, the outgroup. It isn’t
until a child is 8 when they then develop schemas for both genders as opposed to
their own.
Ao3:
Scientists are drawn to reductionist explanations as a method of research as it
allows them to create operationalised variables that can be measured. For
