MedFriendly®
Atomism & Atomistic Psychology
Atomism is an approach in psychology, in which
psychological events are studied through the analysis
of the basic parts that they are made of. Any
systematic approach that is based on the idea that
mental processes are built up by single elements (e.g.,
sensations and feelings) combining together is known
as atomistic psychology. In other words, understanding
of the parts is needed to understand the whole. In other
words, understanding of the parts is needed to
understand the whole. In atomistic psychology, the
single elements are referred to as psychic atoms, an
analogy to physical atoms.
Diagram of an atom.
FEATURED BOOK: Psych 101: Psychology Facts, Basics, Statistics
An atom is the smallest part of a substance that can exist alone or in combination with
something else. Atomistic psychology has its roots in theories from ancient Greek and
Roman philosophers (e.g., Leucippus , Democritus, Epicurus, and Lucretius) in which the
universe was believed to be made up of small and simple particles that could not be
divided or destroyed.
Atomism is also a term used in chemistry to describe a theory that all matter is made of
small and separate parts that cannot be divided or destroyed. The opposite of atomism is
holism, which is a theory that states that the parts cannot be understood without first
understanding their relationship to the whole. Atomistic means pertaining to atomism or
atomistic psychology. Atomism comes from the Greek word "atomos" meaning
"indivisible."
"Where Medical Information is Easy to Understand"™
