Bio+SAQ2+(Reductionism)

Reductionism explains complex phenomena by analysing and breaking things down into simpler, more understandable explanation. By breaking things down into smaller simple components, reductionism allows these components to be tested more easily. Even though this scientific and analytical approach work very well with natural sciences, reductionism may lead to oversimplification. This is because reductionists tend to reduce the complex phenomena without concerning about the fact that the simplified version of the phenomena may lose its meaning. As well as this, it may cause higher level explanations to become less detailed and more useful than lower level ones.

b.    __ Explain how one theory or empirical study from the biological perspective demonstrates a reductionist approach. __ [6 marks]
The biological perspective demonstrates a reductionisht approach because it focuses on the neurological processes, hence other explanations of behaviours are not taken into account. One theory that demonstrates a reductionist approach from the biological perspective is the localization of brain function. The concept of localization of brain functions addresses the idea that different bodily functions are controlled by separate areas of the brain. The frontal lobes, which are found in the area around the forhead are in control of the planning, initiating, and controlling behaviour and motor control. Damage to these lobes would cause a lack of insight and primitive reflex suppression. The parietal lobes, found behind the frontal lobes, above the temporal lobes and at the back of the brain are in charge of sensing and monitoring body parts, while the temporal lobes, found on either side of the brain, just above the ears are involved in hearing, language, and memory. Damage to the temporal lobes would cause a disturbance of language comprehension, an impaired long-term memory, and an altered personality. The final lobe, the occipital lobe, originated at the back of the brain contains the visual cortex which receives and interprets information from the retina; therefore making the occipital lobes the center of the visual perception system, whilst overlapping areas in the occipital lobe and parietal lobes work together to control eye movements. This theory is reductionist as it reduces behaviour to specific areas of the brain, and overlooks the interaction of the whole as well as environmental factors in influencing behaviour.

The localization theory assumes that individual skills are correlated with different specific regions within the brain, thus the location of brain injury could disrupts more skills. However, the theory is unable to account for why a specific deficit in psychological functioning can be caused by damage to different parts of the brain. Many research done by Paul Broca are very important to this perspective, as his findings reinforced the idea that every human behavior has a physiological cause. As for the localization theory, his research supported the idea that the brain is separated to different areas, which are responsible in controlling specific behaviors of the human body as well.