There are different types of reductionism:
The Debate:
- Are the following approaches reductionist or not?
- WHY/ WHY NOT are they reductionist?
Holism
Reductionism
Social Reductionism
- Everything can be reduced into simpler parts.
Which of the approaches/ studies tried to study behaviour by looking at the whole person rather than just one aspect?
Behaviour is ONLY affected by other people and nothing else.
- Trying to study the full complexity of human behaviour in "little pieces" is not possible.
Physiological Reductionism
- Social Approach
- Physiological Approach
- Behaviourist Perspective
- Psychdynamic Perspective
- Individual Differences
- When studying complex human behaviour, we should try to break it down into little parts.
Behaviour is ONLY affected by our physiology and nothing else.
- A person is more than just a collection of parts.
When studying psychology, should we focus on one single aspect of human behaviour at a time, or should we try to take everything into account?
Behavioural Reductionism
Behaviour is ONLY affected by conditioning and nothing else.
- Once we understand each "little part" fully, we then move onto another part, understand that and so on...
- We should try to study a person as a WHOLE.
Experience
Environment
Family
History
Reductionism
vs.
Examples
Strengths and Weaknesses of Reductionism
Research has shown that if you live near a busy international airport, you are more likely to develop mental health issues.
Social
Family, friends, environment
Physiological
Chemical imbalance in the brain
Cognitive
Thinking about things in a disordered way
Behaviourist
Surrounded my unpleasant stimuli
- We can study in detail, whether what is being studied has an effect on the larger issue.
Holism
Psychodynamic
- Studying one thing at a time means it is possible to miss out on other factors that have an impact on behaviour.
Unconscious struggles affecting behaviour
Strengths
Weaknesses
Can you explain why...
Why are:
- Studying details scientifically and in detail and usually lack ecological validity, meaning results might not necessarily be generalised to the real world.
- Breaking down complex behaviours into small parts mean that they can then be tested scientifically (reliably and controlled).
- Milgram
- Bandura
- Loftus and Palmer
- Maguire
- Individual differences
- Developmental
MORE holistic?
... explain their results in a reductionist way?
Choose a celebrity
Describe that celebrity in one word.
Now...
Describe the celebrity in five words.
or one of your choice
Genetics
Childhood Experience
Age
Interests
Unconscious Desires
Education
Phobias
Place of Birth
Neurotransmitters
Biology
Brain Structure
Friendship Groups
Family
Medications
Childhood Experience
Genetics
Friendship Groups
Brain Structure
Family
Phobias
Unconscious Desires
Interests
Age
Education
Place of Birth
Neurotransmitters
Biology
Medications