Psychology 9-1 GCSE - 

2.3.1 Understand the reductionism and holism debate, including: 

a) The terms 'reductionism' and 'reductionist' - 

Reductionism is the practice of analyzing and describing a complex phenomenon in terms of its simple or fundamental constituents, especially when it is said to provide a sufficient explanation. You can reduce it down to a biological level (the lowest level), psychological and social (highest level). A reductionist is someone who believes in and practices reductionism. 

b) The terms 'holism' and 'holistic' - 

This is the theory that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they can not exist indipendantly of the whole. Or cannot be understood without reference to the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts. 

c) the use of content, theories and research drawn from human memory to explain the reductionism and holism debate -

Gestalt psychology looks at the behaviors of the human mind as a whole rather than as individual parts. Humanistic approaches are also centered around being holistic.