A reductionist explanation for behaviour suggests there could be many other things affecting behaviour. Which term best captures this critique?

• A. Reductionism
• B. Determinism
• C. Limitations of neurotransmitters
• D. Simplification

Answer: (C)

Reductionist explanations explain behavior by reducing it to basic biological components, like neurotransmitters, but this approach is often limited because it overlooks many other influences on behavior. The best term here is the idea that there are limitations to neurotransmitters as an explanatory focus. Neurotransmitters can play a role, but behavior arises from a complex mix of biology, cognition, environment, learning, and social factors. Acknowledging the limitations of explaining behavior solely through neurotransmitters captures the critique that reductionism may miss important contributing factors. The other terms don’t pinpoint this specific critique as clearly: determinism speaks to inevitability, simplification is too general, and reductionism refers to the approach itself rather than its acknowledged limits.