It is often contrasted withreductionism, which instead tries to break things down into their smallest parts.
This approach suggests that we can only understand the parts when we view them in relation to the whole.
Each individual part plays its own important role, but it also works within an integrated system.
Verywell / Laura Porter
The basic principle of holism is that people are more than simply the sum of their parts.
One reason why it is so important to consider the entire being is that the whole may possessemergent properties.
Consider the human brain, for example.
Even looking at other aspects of the brain such as the individualstructuresdoes not really tell the whole story.
At the broadest level, holism would look at every single influence that might impact behavior or functioning.
In other cases, holism might be a bit more focused.
Social psychologists, for example, strive to understand how and why groups behave as they do.
Benefits of Holism
Just like the reductionist approach to psychology, holism has both advantages and disadvantages.
This is sometimes more effective than addressing smaller components individually.
Reductionism tends to focus solely on the trees, but holism allows psychologists to view the entire forest.
This can be true of both the research and treatment of mental health issues.
Using this throw in of approach, therapists are often better able to address individual symptoms.
Holism tends to be more generalized, which can sometimes make precision more difficult.
Scientists, in particular, must be able to focus their research on clearly defined variables and hypotheses.
There may be many different variables to account for, as well as a plethora of potential interactions.
This can make this approach unwieldy at times.
The early schools of thought,structuralism and functionalism, are good examples of reductionist and holistic views.
Throughout history, there have been other perspectives and branches of psychology that have also taken a holistic approach.
Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt psychologyis a school of thought that is rooted in holism.
Abraham Maslows famoushierarchy of needsis one example of a humanistic theory that takes a holistic look at human motivation.
This theory doesn’t focus on any single aspect of motivation.
Instead, it incorporates many aspects including environmental, social, and emotional influences.
Social Psychology
Social psychologytends to take a holistic approach since it considers individuals in their social context.
Imagine that researchers are interested in learning .
Different areas of psychology often tend to focus on either one approach or the other.
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