Holism v Reductionism (OCR A-Level Psychology): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
8.4.1 Holism v Reductionism
Holism
Definition
Holism suggests that studying an entire system as a whole gives a deeper understanding than studying its parts. It focuses on understanding behaviour by considering the whole person rather than breaking it down into smaller parts.
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For example... Humanistic psychologists look at how thoughts, feelings, and motivations work together to understand behaviour, rather than isolating specific aspects.
Reductionism
Definition
Reductionism says that behaviour is best explained by breaking it down into simpler parts. It aims for the simplest explanation possible.
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For example… Biological psychologists aim to explain behaviour by only looking at genes and biology, whilst ignoring other factors such as early childhood experiences and cognitive processes