I&D 05/06: Reductionism & holism (a) A01

Explain what is meant by the term reductionism (2)

* Explaining / studying complex and meaningful behaviour / experience...

* ... by breaking it down into smaller component parts / constituents / elements

Explain what is meant by the term biological reductionism (3)

* Explaining behaviour at the level of genes, brain chemicals

* Explanations of social or psychological phenomena...

* ... at a lower biological level

Explain what is meant by machine reductionism (3)

* Explaining behaviour in terms of mechanistic models

* Explanations of information processing...

* ...in terms of a computer model

Explain what is meant by the term environmental reductionism (3)

* Explaining behaviour in terms of stimulus-response links (classical conditioning)...

* ... or links between behaviour and its consequences (operant conditioning).

* These links have been learned through experience.

Explain what is meant by the term holism (3)

* Focus on the whole system or person

* It only makes sense to study an indivisible system rather than its constituent parts

* Considering all aspects of expterm-6erience

Explain what is meant by the term levels of explanation (3)

* The idea that there are different ways of viewing and explaining any particular behaviour.

* Higher levels: more holistic / multivariable

* Lower levels: more reductionist / focus on basic units

Identify and put in order levels of explanation in Psychology (5)

* Lowest: Biological

* Middle: psychological (environmental or cognitive)

* Higher: social / cultural

* Highest: holistic