Evaluate Edexcel Psychology reductionism and holism by comparing measurable parts of behaviour with whole-person explanations, research evidence and practical benefits.
Evaluate whether a reductionist approach in psychology can provide a full explanation of the complexities of human behaviour.
AO1 (8 marks), AO3 (12 marks)
AO1
- Reductionism means looking at the parts of something when
studying it.
- To test behaviour, it should be measurable, and smaller parts of the
whole are measurable.
- Holism is looking at the whole person which is the opposite of
reductionism.
- Reductionism provides explanations of parts of human behaviour
ignoring the interactions between these parts.
- Holism considers the influences of experience/culture/socialisation on
human behaviour.
- Reductionism is a focus on the function of thought and behaviour,
such as the function of monoamine as an explanation of depression.
AO3
- Brain scanning techniques can help explain human behaviour, such
as Raine et al's (1997) brain scans of murders.
- Atkinson and Shiffrin (1971) reduced human memory to an input
output process, ignoring experiences and simplifying memory.
- Bartlett (1932) viewed memory as a reconstructive process,
accounting for a more holistic view of human memory processes.
- Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) claim aggression is learned therefore
reducing it to biological hormones is an insufficient explanation.
- Pavlov reduced human behaviours, such as phobias, to a stimulus-
response pairing, ignoring other experiences.
- Bowlby (1944) explained that attachment is an innate process
necessary for emotional and social development that relies on
complex interactions with carers.
- Genetic explanations of schizophrenia reduce behaviour hereditary
parts of biology, but evidence from Gottesman and Shields (1966)
shows genetics are not the only factor.
- Holistic views such as a psychodynamic approach have given rise to
successful therapies that treat a person as a whole, suggesting
holism reflects the complexity of behaviour better.
- Successful drug treatments for mental health disorders come from
studies of parts of the brain, so reductionist studies can still lead to
effective treatment.
Look for other reasonable marking points.
(20)
\begin{tabular}[t]{|l|l|l|}
\hline Level
Mark
Descriptor
\begin{tabular[t]{l}
AO1 (8 marks), AO3 (12 marks)
Candidates must demonstrate a greater emphasis on evaluation/conclusion vs knowledge and understanding in their answer.
Knowledge & understanding is capped at maximum 8 marks
\end{tabular}}
0
No rewardable material.
Level 1
1-4
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
A conclusion may be presented, but will be generic and the supporting evidence will be limited. Limited attempt to address the question. (AO3)
\end{tabular}
Level 2
5-8
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates mostly accurate knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Candidates will produce statements with some development in the form of mostly accurate and relevant factual material, leading to a superficial conclusion being made. (AO3)
\end{tabular}
Level 3
9-12
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates accurate knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Arguments developed using mostly coherent chains of reasoning. leading to a conclusion being presented. Candidates will demonstrate a grasp of competing arguments but evaluation may be imbalanced. (AO3)
\end{tabular}
Level 4
13-16
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Displays a well-developed and logical evaluation, containing logical chains of reasoning throughout. Demonstrates an awareness of competing arguments, presenting a balanced conclusion. (AO3)
\end{tabular}
Level 5
17-20
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Displays a well-developed and logical evaluation, containing logical chains of reasoning throughout. Demonstrates an awareness of competing arguments and presents a balanced response, leading to an effective nuanced and balanced conclusion. (AO3)
\end{tabular}