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Home / Living Well / A holistic approach to integrative medicine

A holistic approach to integrative medicine

As studies continue to reveal the important role the mind plays in healing and in fighting disease, a transformation is taking place in hospitals and clinics across the country.

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Interested in integrative medicine? Read the following excerpt from the Mayo Clinic Guide to Integrative Medicine .

People who take an active role in their health care experience better health and improved healing. It’s a commonsense concept that’s been gaining scientific support for several years now.

As studies continue to reveal the important role the mind plays in healing and in fighting disease, a transformation is taking place in hospitals and clinics across the country. Doctors, in partnership with their patients, are turning to practices once considered alternative as they attempt to treat the whole person — mind and spirit, as well as body. This type of approach is known today as integrative medicine.

Incorporate integrative medicine alongside your treatments

Integrative medicine describes an evolution taking place in many health care institutions. This evolution is due in part to a shift in the medical industry as health care professionals focus on wellness as well as on treating disease. This shift offers a new opportunity for integrative therapies.

Integrative medicine is the practice of using conventional medicine alongside evidence-based complementary treatments. The idea behind integrative medicine is not to replace conventional medicine, but to find ways to complement existing treatments.

For example, taking a prescribed medication may not be enough to bring your blood pressure level into a healthy range, but adding meditation to your daily wellness routine may give you the boost you need — and prevent you from needing to take a second medication.

Integrative medicine isn’t just about fixing things when they’re broken; it’s about keeping things from breaking in the first place. And in many cases, it means bringing new therapies and approaches to the table, such as meditation, mindfulness and tai chi. Sometimes, integrative approaches help lead people into a complete lifestyle of wellness.

What types of integrative medicines are available?

What are some of the most promising practices in integrative medicine? Here’s a list of 10 treatments that you might consider for your own health and wellness:

• Acupuncture is a Chinese practice that involves inserting very thin needles at strategic points on the body.
• Guided imagery involves bringing to mind a specific image or a series of memories to produce certain responses in the body.
• Hypnotherapy involves a trancelike state where the mind is more open to suggestion.
• Massage uses pressure to manipulate the soft tissues of the body. There are many different kinds of massage, and some have specific health goals in mind.
• Meditation involves clearing and calming the mind by focusing on your breathing or a word, phrase or sound.
• Music therapy can influence both your mental and physical health.
• Spinal manipulation, which is also called spinal adjustment, is practiced by chiropractors and physical therapists.
• Spirituality has many definitions, but its focus is on an individual’s connection to others and to the search for meaning in life.
• Tai chi is a graceful exercise in which you move from pose to pose.
• Yoga involves a series of postures that often include a focus on breathing. Yoga is commonly practiced to relieve stress, as well as treat heart disease and depression.

Who can integrative medicine help?

A number of surveys focused on the use of integrative medicine by adults in the United States suggest that more than a third of Americans are already using these practices as part of their health care.

These surveys demonstrate that although the United States has the most advanced medical technology in the world, Americans are turning to integrative treatments — and there are several reasons for this trend. Here are three of the top reasons why more and more people are exploring integrative medicine.

Integrative medicine for people engaged in their health

One reason integrative medicine is popular is that people in general are taking a greater, more active role in their own health care. People are more aware of health issues and are more open to trying different treatment approaches.

Internet access is also helping to fuel this trend by playing a significant role in improving patient education. Two decades ago, consumers had little access to research or reliable medical information. Today, clinical trials and pharmaceutical developments are more widely available for public knowledge.

For example, people who have arthritis can find a good deal of information about it online. They may find research showing that glucosamine, for example, helps with joint pain and doesn’t appear to have a lot of risks associated with it. With this information in hand, they feel empowered to ask their doctors if glucosamine might work with their current treatment plans.

Integrative medicine for an aging population

A second reason for the wider acceptance of integrative treatments is the influence of the baby boomer generation. This generation is open to a variety of treatments as it explores ways to age well. In addition, baby boomers are often dealing with several medical issues, from weight control to joint pain, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. Not everyone wants to start with medication; many prefer to try complementary methods first.

Integrative medicine for the chronically stressed

A third reason for the growth, interest and use of integrative therapies is the degree of chronic stress in the American lifestyle. Workplace stress, long commutes, relationship issues and financial worries are just some of the concerns that make up a long list of stressors.

Although medications can effectively treat short-term stress, they can become just as damaging — and even as life-threatening — as stress itself is when taken long term. Integrative medicine, on the other hand, offers several effective, evidence-based approaches to dealing with stress that don’t involve medication. Many otherwise healthy people are learning to manage the stress in their lives successfully by using complementary methods such as yoga, meditation, massage and guided imagery.

Considering that many healthy people are engaging in integrative practices, it isn’t surprising to find out that they’re turning to these treatments in times of illness, as well. Here are just a few ways integrative medicine is used to help people cope with medical conditions:

• Meditation can help manage the anxiety and discomfort of medical procedures.
• Massage has been shown to improve recovery rates after heart surgery.
• Gentle tai chi or yoga can assist the transition back to an active life after illness or surgery.

Conventional Western medicine doesn’t have cures for everything. Many people who have arthritis, back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia and anxiety look to integrative treatments to help them manage these often-chronic conditions without the need for medications that may have serious side effects or that may be addictive.

The risks and benefits of integrative medicine

As interest in integrative medicine continues to grow, so does the research in this field. Researchers are studying these approaches in an effort to separate evidence-based, effective therapies from those that don’t show effectiveness or may be risky. In the process, this research is helping to identify many genuinely beneficial treatments. In essence, both consumer interest and scientific research have led to further review of these therapies within modern medicine.

As evidence showing the safety and efficacy of many of these therapies grows, physicians are starting to integrate aspects of complementary medicine into conventional medical care. Ultimately, this is what has led to the current term integrative medicine.

Ask your healthcare team about integrative medicine and wellness

If you’re interested in improving your health, many integrative medicine practices can help. Not only can they speed your recovery from illness or surgery, but they can also help you cope with a chronic condition. In addition, complementary practices such as meditation and yoga can work to keep you healthy and may actually prevent many diseases.

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What Is Holism?

How psychologists use holism to understand behavior

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

Verywell / Laura Porter

• In Psychology

In psychology, holism is an approach to understanding the human mind and behavior that focuses on looking at things as a whole. It is often contrasted with reductionism , 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.

Overview of Holism

In terms of psychology, the holistic view suggests that it is important to view the mind as a unit, rather than trying to break it down into its individual parts. Each individual part plays its own important role, but it also works within an integrated system.

The basic principle of holism is that people are more than simply the sum of their parts. In order to understand how people think, the holistic perspective stresses that you need to do more than simply focus on how each individual component functions in isolation. Instead, psychologists who take this approach believe that it is more important to look at how all the parts work together.

Holism in Psychology

As an approach to understanding systems, holism is used in psychology as well as in other areas including medicine, philosophy, ecology, and economics. One key phrase that summarizes the key idea behind the holistic approach is that “the whole is more than the sum of its parts.”

The field of holistic medicine, for example, focuses on treating all aspects of a person's health including physical symptoms, psychological factors, and societal influences.  

In order to understand why people do the things they do and think the way they think, holism proposes that it is necessary to look at the entire person. Rather than focus on just one aspect of the problem, it is necessary to recognize that various factors interact and influence each other.

One reason why it is so important to consider the entire being is that the whole may possess emergent properties . These are qualities or characteristics that are present in the whole but cannot be observed by looking at the individual pieces.  

Consider the human brain, for example. The brain contains millions of neurons , but just looking at each individual neuron will not tell you what the brain can do. It is only by looking at the brain holistically, by looking at how all the pieces work together, that you can see how messages are transmitted, how memories are stored, and how decisions are made.

Even looking at other aspects of the brain such as the individual structures does not really tell the whole story. It is only when taking a more holistic approach that we are truly able to appreciate how all the pieces work together.

In fact, one of the earliest debates in the field of neurology centered on whether the brain was homogeneous and could not be broken down further (holism) or whether certain functions were localized in specific cortical areas (reductionism).

Today, researchers recognize that certain parts of the brain act in specific ways, but these individual parts interact and work together to create and influence different functions.

Uses for Holism

When looking at questions in psychology, researchers might take a holistic approach by considering how different factors work together and interact to influence the entire person. At the broadest level, holism would look at every single influence that might impact behavior or functioning.

A humanistic psychologist, for example, might consider an individual's environment (including where they live and work), their social connections (including friends, family, and co-workers), their background (including childhood experiences and educational level), and physical health (including current wellness and stress levels).

The goal of this level of analysis is to be able to not only consider how each of these variables might impact overall well-being but to also see how these factors interact and influence one another.

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. Sometimes groups react differently than individuals do, so looking at group behavior more holistically allows research to assess emergent properties that might be present.

Benefits of Holism

Just like the reductionist approach to psychology, holism has both advantages and disadvantages. For example, holism can be helpful at times when looking at the big picture allows the psychologist to see things they might have otherwise missed. In other cases, however, focusing on the whole might cause them to overlook some of the finer details.

Some of the key benefits of this perspective include:

It Incorporates Many Factors

One of the big advantages of the holistic approach is that it allows researchers to assess multiple factors that might contribute to a psychological problem. Rather than simply focusing on one small part of an issue, researchers can instead look at all of the elements that may play a role.

This approach can ultimately help them find solutions that address all of the contributing internal and external factors that might be influencing the health of an individual. This is sometimes more effective than addressing smaller components individually.

By looking at people holistically, health care providers can address all of the many factors that might affect how a person is feeling, including their mind, their body, and their environment.

It Looks at the Big Picture

When researching a topic, it's frequently helpful to step back and look at the big picture. 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.

When trying to help a client with symptoms of a psychiatric condition, for example, looking at the patient holistically allows mental health professionals to see all of the factors that affect the patient’s daily life, and also how the patient interacts with their environment. Using this type of approach, therapists are often better able to address individual symptoms.

Human behavior is complex, so explaining it often requires an approach that is able to account for this complexity. Holism allows researchers to provide a fully inclusive answer to difficult questions about how people think, feel, and behave.

Drawbacks of Holism

While holism has a number of key advantages, there are also some important drawbacks to consider. Some of these include:

It Tends to Be Non-Specific

When trying to solve a problem, it is often important to focus on a particular aspect of the issue in order to come up with a solution. 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.

Looking at something too broadly can make it difficult to conduct tests using the scientific method, largely due to the fact that it incorporates so many varied factors and influences.

It Can Be Overly Complex

Because holism is so all-inclusive, it can make scientific investigations very challenging and complex. 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.

Examples of Holism

There are a number of examples in the field of psychology of how holism can be used to view the human mind and behavior. The early schools of thought, structuralism and functionalism , are good examples of reductionist and holistic views.

Structuralism focused on breaking down elements of behavior into their smallest possible components (reductionism), whereas functionalism focused on looking at things as a whole and considering the actual purpose and function of behaviors (holism).

Throughout history, there have been other perspectives and branches of psychology that have also taken a holistic approach.

Gestalt Psychology

Gestalt psychology is a school of thought that is rooted in holism. The Gestalt psychologists not only believed that human behavior needed to be viewed as a whole; they also worked to understand how the human mind itself uses a holistic approach to make sense of the world.

The Gestalt laws of perceptual organization , demonstrate that the ways in which individual items relate to one another can influence how we see them. When similar items are viewed together, the law of similarity, for example, suggests that people will perceive them as components of a whole.

This approach can also be applied to the treatment of mental health problems. Gestalt therapy is a person-centered approach to treatment that emerged from the Gestalt school of thought. Rather than breaking down aspects of a person's past to understand their current problem, this approach to therapy looks at all aspects of the individual's life in the here and now.

Humanistic Psychology

Humanistic psychology is a branch of psychology that emerged in the 1950s partially as a response to behaviorism. Where behaviorism had taken a reductionist approach to explain human behavior, humanist thinkers are more interested in looking at behavior holistically.

This approach to psychology looks at all of the factors that contribute to how people think and act, as well as how all of these different components interact.

Abraham Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs is 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 psychology tends to take a holistic approach since it considers individuals in their social context. In particular, this branch of psychology looks at how group behavior is often different than individual behavior, which is a good example of emergent properties and the sum being more than its parts.

Holism vs. Reductionism

One way to look at how holism and reductionism are used is to observe how these approaches might be applied when studying a specific psychological problem.

Imagine that researchers are interested in learning more about depression .

• A researcher using the holistic approach might instead focus on understanding how different contributing factors might interact, such as examining how thought patterns, social relationships, and neurotransmitter levels influence a person’s depression levels.
• A scientist using the reductionist approach might look at a highly specific factor that influences depression, such as neurotransmitter levels in the brain.

A Word From Verywell

Much of the appeal of holism lies in its ability to incorporate all of the elements that make us who we are. People are infinitely complex and varied, and holism is able to address all of the external and internal factors that influence our past, present, and future.

Different areas of psychology often tend to focus on either one approach or the other. While reductionism and holism are often pitted against one another, they both serve an important role in helping researchers better understand human psychology.

Michaelson V, Pickett W, King N, Davison C. Testing the theory of holism: A study of family systems and adolescent health .  Prev Med Rep . 2016;4:313–319. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.07.002

Freeman J. Towards a definition of holism .  Br J Gen Pract . 2005;55(511):154–155.

APA Dictionary of Psychology. Humanistic perspective .

APA Dictionary of Psychology. Gestalt psychology .

Goodwin, CJ. A History of Modern Psychology, 5th Edition. New York: Wiley.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Holism in Psychology: Definition and Examples

Saul McLeod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

Holism is often referred to as Gestalt psychology . It argues that behavior cannot be understood in terms of the components that make them up. This is commonly described as ‘the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.’

In other words, human behavior has its own properties that are not explicable in terms of the properties of the elements from which it is derived.

A holistic approach, therefore, suggests that there are different levels of explanation and that at each level, there are “emergent properties” that cannot be reduced to the one below.

Holistic approaches include Humanism, Social, and Gestalt psychology and make use of the case study method. Jahoda’s six elements of Optimal Living are an example of a holistic approach to defining abnormality.

Reductionist explanations, which might work in some circumstances, are considered inappropriate to the study of human subjectivity because here, the emergent property that we have to take account of is that of the “whole person.” 

Otherwise, it makes no sense to try to understand the meaning of anything that anybody might do.

Holism in Psychology

In psychology, holism refers to an approach or perspective that emphasizes the importance of studying and understanding the whole person or system rather than focusing solely on its individual parts or components.

It suggests that individuals should be viewed as integrated and complex beings, with various interconnected aspects that influence their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and overall functioning.

Holism in psychology recognizes that human beings are not simply the sum of their individual traits, but rather they are influenced by multiple factors that interact with one another.

These factors may include biological, psychological, social, cultural, and environmental aspects. Holistic psychologists aim to understand how these elements interact and shape an individual’s experiences and behaviors.

The holistic perspective emphasizes the interconnectedness of various dimensions of human functioning. For example, it acknowledges that individual thoughts and emotions do not solely determine psychological well-being but can also be influenced by social relationships, cultural context, physical health, and environmental factors.

Holistic approaches in psychology often strive to consider the whole person in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. This can involve considering the person’s background, beliefs, values, relationships, and broader social and environmental factors contributing to their well-being or challenges.

By adopting a holistic perspective, psychologists aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of individuals and their experiences, considering both internal and external factors.

This approach recognizes the complexity of human beings and the need to address multiple dimensions for a more complete understanding and effective intervention.

Humanism investigates all aspects of the individual and the interactions between people.

It emerged as a reaction against those dehumanizing psychological perspectives that attempted to reduce behavior to a set of simple elements.

Humanistic, or third force psychologists, feel that holism is the only valid approach to the complete understanding of mind and behavior. They reject reductionism in all its forms.

Their starting point is the self (our sense of personal identity) which they consider a functioning whole. In Carl Rogers’s words, it is an “organized, consistent set of perceptions and beliefs about oneself.”

It includes an awareness of the person I am and could be. It directs our behavior in all the consciously chosen aspects of our lives and is fundamentally motivated towards achieving self-actualization .

For humanists, then, the self is the most essential and unique quality of human beings. It is what makes us what we are and is the basis of the difference between psychology and all-natural science.

Humanistic psychology investigates all aspects of the individual and the interactions between people.

Reductionist explanations undermine the indivisible unity of experience. They run counter to and ultimately destroy the very object of psychological inquiry.  A holistic point of view is, thus, in humanist terms, the very basis of all knowledge of the human psyche .

Social Psychology

Social psychology looks at the behavior of individuals in a social context. Group behavior (e.g., conformity, de-individualization) may show characteristics greater than the sum of the individuals comprising it.

Psychoanalysis

Freud adopted an interactionist approach in that he considered that behavior resulted from a dynamic interaction between the id, ego, and superego .

Abnormal psychology

This is where the brain understands and interprets sensory information . Visual illusions show that humans perceive more than the sum of the sensations on the retina.

• Looks at everything that may impact behavior.
• Does not ignore the complexity of behavior.
• Integrates different components of behavior in order to understand the person as a whole.
• Can be higher in ecological validity.

Limitations

• Overcomplicates behaviors that may have simpler explanations (Occam’s Razor).
• Does not lend itself to the scientific method and empirical testing.
• Makes it hard to determine cause and effect.
• Neglects the importance of biological explanations.
• Almost impossible to study all the factors that influence complex human behaviors

Keep Learning

• Freeman J. Towards a definition of holism. Br J Gen Pract. 2005;55(511):154–155.
• Michaelson V, Pickett W, King N, Davison C. (2016) Testing the theory of holism: A study of family systems and adolescent health. Prev Med Rep, 4, 313–319.

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 08 July 2021

How a holistic research retreat can help our science

• Örjan Bodin 0 &
• Christopher M. Weible 1

Örjan Bodin is a senior lecturer in environmental sciences at the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, Sweden.

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Christopher M. Weible is a professor of public policy in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver.

In early 2019, we were both at an interdisciplinary workshop to develop new and interesting research agendas that span disciplines. With a couple of decades of research experience each, we realized in a discussion over breakfast that we were both in the middle of an existential crisis. We felt out of touch and disheartened with our scholarship. We were struggling to make sense of what we had achieved in research and what, ultimately, the work was for. Instead of an event that forced us to reach out and work with others, we needed one that would encourage us to look inwards and reflect on our scholarship. So we organized a research retreat.

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Research Design Review

A discussion of qualitative & quantitative research design, a holistic approach to qualitative analysis.

A holistic approach to analysis acknowledges that (1) these unique contributions to our research are central to why we conduct qualitative research and (2) importantly, qualitative researchers owe it to their participants — who have given so much of themselves for our purposes — to maintain the integrity of their lived experiences.

How does the researcher do this?

At the conclusion of each IDI or focus group discussion, the interviewer or moderator should reflect on their understanding of what was learned from the participant(s). To do this, the researcher will use their notes and the audio and/or video recording of the session. It is useful to use Excel or something similar to log the key takeaways associated with the research objectives. By doing this exercise after each IDI or group discussion, the researcher is absorbing a complete “picture” of each participant’s or group’s attitudes, behaviors, and experiences. From there, the researcher can look across participants or groups to contrast and compare.

Crucially, however, the researcher is not necessarily contrasting and comparing simply based on the use of terminology or other obvious, manifest content. Instead, the researcher considers the entirety of what they have learned about each individual or group of participants as revealed in a combination of obvious, subtle, and contextual interconnections within the data.

This holistic approach begins in the beginning — before transcripts and coding — and, with concerted effort, is maintained throughout the analysis process.

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Holistic Approach to Research

• First Online: 01 January 2012

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• N. K. Singh 2  

Part of the book series: Management for Professionals ((MANAGPROF))

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While rapid changes have taken place all over the world in social scientists’ attitude to research, in some quarters, Newtonian notions still dominate the academic mind and organizations. It is truer of the corporate sector, which purports to use research. A typical stance of corporate sector is that what cannot be quantified or measured is no good. Whenever we visit large corporations for studying organizations or manpower systems, almost invariably, we are stuck with the persistence of the question: Can you do the time-and-motion study? When we explain that we do not believe in fragmented or mechanistic approach to studying men and organizations, we find a look of sarcasm saying: ‘It is an unscientific approach’.

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• Last Updated: Jul 14, 2023

Holism, derived from the Greek word ‘ holos ‘ meaning ‘ whole ‘ or ‘ all ‘, is a philosophical approach suggesting that the system as a whole should be the primary focus of study, rather than its individual components [1] . It asserts that all the components of any given system are interconnected and can only be fully understood in the context of that complete system.

In the realm of anthropology, holism refers to the commitment of anthropologists to consider the complete context of a society when conducting their research. This involves studying the myriad aspects of human life — cultural, biological, historical, and linguistic — and their interconnectedness to gain a comprehensive understanding of human behavior and society.

Importance of Holism in Anthropology

The holistic perspective is central to anthropology and sets it apart from other social sciences. Anthropologists aim to understand the full sweep and complexity of cultures across all of human history. Holism allows anthropologists to investigate how different aspects of a society — from its environment, technology, economy, to its belief systems, family structure, and artistic expressions — interact and influence each other. This interconnected view can offer invaluable insights into human behavior, cultural dynamics, social organization , and evolutionary patterns.

Furthermore, holism encourages anthropologists to study not just the observable, material aspects of human societies, but also the intangible dimensions, such as social norms, values, symbols, and ideologies. This underscores the importance of interpretive understanding in anthropological inquiry, helping scholars to comprehend the ‘insider’s viewpoint’ and to make sense of human behavior in its wider socio-cultural and historical contexts [2] .

Anthropology’s holistic approach also plays a critical role in cross-cultural comparison and relativistic perspective, helping to shed light on the cultural diversity that characterizes human societies. It facilitates a more empathetic and less ethnocentric understanding of the myriad ways in which human societies have adapted to their specific circumstances and how they give meaning to their lives.

Application of Holism in Cultural Anthropology

• Holism is an essential perspective in cultural anthropology .
• Cultural anthropologists aim to understand the complex web of meanings, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a society.
• The holistic perspective facilitates the study of religion, economics, social structure, politics, art, and other cultural aspects as interconnected parts of a society rather than as isolated phenomena.
• This approach provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of cultural phenomena and their significance in society.

Holism in Biological Anthropology

• Holism also finds application in biological anthropology, a subfield that examines the biological and biocultural aspects of the human species.
• This discipline integrates the study of human genetics, primatology, human adaptation, and paleoanthropology.
• A holistic perspective allows biological anthropologists to connect individual biological phenomena to larger socio-cultural and environmental contexts.
• For instance, understanding human health and disease is not merely a matter of understanding human biology but also the socio-cultural and ecological contexts in which individuals live.

Linguistic Anthropology through a Holistic Lens

• In linguistic anthropology , holism enables researchers to view language as a complex system intricately connected to culture , cognition, and society.
• Languages are not just systems of communication; they also serve as a means of conveying and constructing cultural meaning.
• Linguistic anthropologists using a holistic approach study not only the structural aspects of language but also how language shapes and is shaped by cultural practices, social relationships, and power dynamics.

Archaeological Perspectives: Holism in Time and Space

• Holism in archaeology is manifested through the interpretation of material remains in their broader environmental and cultural contexts.
• Do not study artifacts in isolation; instead, they interpret these items within the context of the site, the culture, and the time period.
• This allows them to reconstruct past life ways, social organization, and cultural change over time.
• The holistic approach is integral to the archaeological understanding of cultural processes, such as technology development, trade, social stratification, and cultural evolution.

Methodological Approaches to Holism

• Participant Observation and Holistic Understanding : Participant observation, a fundamental method in anthropological research , exemplifies the holistic approach. Through participation in the daily life of the study population, anthropologists can develop an in-depth understanding of cultural practices, social interactions, and the meanings people assign to their experiences. This immersion enables researchers to understand the interconnectedness of various cultural elements and provides a comprehensive view of the society being studied.
• Comparative Methods and Holistic Analysis: Comparative methods also play a crucial role in holistic anthropology. These methods involve comparing and contrasting different cultural systems to understand universal patterns or particularistic variations among human societies. Comparative study helps anthropologists to identify similarities and differences, to derive patterns, and to construct models and theories about human culture and society [3] . This approach complements holism as it aids in understanding a particular culture or society in relation to others, further enriching the overall understanding of human diversity and interconnectedness.
• The Role of Ethnography in Holistic Anthropology : Ethnography is the descriptive study of a particular human society or the process of making such a study. It is often employed to investigate cultural phenomena reflecting the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group. Ethnography, as a methodology, aligns with holism as it seeks to understand the complexity of cultural systems and the interrelationships among its parts. By producing rich, detailed descriptions of everyday life, ethnographers can illuminate the ways in which different elements of a society — such as economics, religion, kinship , politics, and art — interact and contribute to the overall functioning of the society .

The Interconnectedness of Cultures and Societies

Globalization, marked by the increased interconnectedness of countries and cultures, poses both opportunities and challenges for holistic anthropology. Rapid technological advancements, the spread of English as a global lingua franca, and the increasing intermingling of cultures lead to a complex web of global interdependencies [4] . Understanding these dynamics necessitates a holistic approach, considering multiple facets of culture, society, and biology as interconnected rather than isolated.

These interdependencies manifest in various ways, from cultural borrowing and blending to shifts in social structures and power relations, even affecting aspects of human biology, such as health and disease patterns [5] . By adopting a holistic perspective, anthropologists can elucidate the complexities of global cultural and biological exchanges and their impacts on societies.

Anthropology of Globalization: A Holistic View

The anthropology of globalization focuses on understanding the cultural, biological, and social impacts of an increasingly interconnected world. Here, the holistic approach is key to deciphering how global influences shape and are shaped by local contexts. For instance, the consumption of globally mass-produced foods and adoption of sedentary lifestyles have profound impacts on local dietary practices and health outcomes, reflecting how the global and the local intersect [6] .

Furthermore, holistic anthropology assists in understanding global migration patterns. It allows for a comprehensive exploration of the reasons behind migration, the experiences of migrants, and the consequent changes in both host and source societies, considering economic, social, political, and cultural dimensions.

In summary, a holistic approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of different aspects of human life, is vital in understanding the multifaceted phenomena related to globalization.

Emerging Trends and Theories

As we move further into the 21st century, the field of anthropology continues to evolve and adapt. Emerging trends and theories reflect a reaffirmation of the discipline’s holistic underpinnings, combined with an increased focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and increased engagement with contemporary global issues.

There’s a growing recognition of the necessity to integrate perspectives from biological, cultural, linguistic, and archaeological anthropology , thus making our understanding of humanity more comprehensive. For instance, the field of bio-cultural anthropology has gained traction, recognizing the deep interconnectedness of culture and biology in shaping human health, behavior, and evolution.

Moreover, the increased focus on contemporary global issues like climate change, public health, migration, and inequality, necessitates a holistic understanding of the complex cultural, biological, social, and historical factors that contribute to these issues.

The Impact of Technology on Holistic Studies

Technology plays a significant role in shaping the future of holistic anthropology. Digital technologies and the internet open new research fields such as digital anthropology and cyberanthropology, exploring how digital culture shapes and is shaped by social, cultural, and biological factors.

Furthermore, technological advancements in archaeological and biological methods, like remote sensing or genomics, allow for a more nuanced understanding of the past and human evolution. However, as with all methodologies, it’s crucial that these tools are used within a holistic framework, recognizing the complex interplay of culture, biology, history, and language in shaping human societies.

These developments suggest a vibrant future for holistic anthropology, shaped by evolving theories, innovative methodologies, and contemporary global challenges.

Final Thoughts on Future Research Directions

Holistic anthropology is positioned to make significant strides in the years to come. Future research directions might include:

• Interdisciplinary collaboration: Holistic anthropology’s intrinsic interdisciplinarity lends itself to collaborations with fields like psychology, sociology , ecology , and computer science. These alliances can provide a multifaceted perspective to tackle complex problems, enhancing the holistic approach’s richness.
• Applied Anthropology : The relevance of holistic anthropology in addressing contemporary issues is unquestionable. Its role in public health, education, business, and environmental conservation could be further emphasized, encouraging more anthropologists to engage in solution-oriented research.
• Digital and Bio-cultural Anthropology: The burgeoning fields of digital anthropology and bio-cultural anthropology present exciting opportunities. Future research can focus on these areas, exploring how digital technologies shape human societies and how biological and cultural factors interact to influence human behavior, health, and evolution.
• Global Challenges: Issues like climate change, migration, and inequality necessitate a comprehensive understanding of the cultural, biological, social, and historical factors involved. Future research should continue to employ holistic anthropology’s broad perspective to contribute to these global dialogues.

[1] Levin, S. (1992). The problem of pattern and scale in ecology: The Robert H. MacArthur Award Lecture. Ecology, 73(6), 1943-1967. https://doi.org/10.2307/1941447

[2] Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of cultures: Selected essays. Basic Books.

[3] Ember, C. R., & Ember, M. (2001). Cross-cultural research methods. AltaMira Press.

[4] Tomlinson, J. (1999). Globalization and culture. University of Chicago Press.

[5] Nugent, D. (2018). The encyclopedia of globalization and human migration. ABC-CLIO.

[6] Mintz, S. W., & Du Bois, C. M. (2002). The anthropology of food and eating. Annual Review of Anthropology, 31, 99-119.

Vasundhra, an anthropologist, embarks on a captivating journey to decode the enigmatic tapestry of human society. Fueled by an insatiable curiosity, she unravels the intricacies of social phenomena, immersing herself in the lived experiences of diverse cultures. Armed with an unwavering passion for understanding the very essence of our existence, Vasundhra fearlessly navigates the labyrinth of genetic and social complexities that shape our collective identity. Her recent publication unveils the story of the Ancient DNA field, illuminating the pervasive global North-South divide. With an irresistible blend of eloquence and scientific rigor, Vasundhra effortlessly captivates audiences, transporting them to the frontiers of anthropological exploration.

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What is Holistic Psychology?

People often ask us, What is holistic psychology? This question is not so easy to address, and in the introduction to Volume I  we discuss myriad qualities of psychological theory and practice that are more clearly holistic in nature. In many ways, the Journal itself is our ongoing response to this question, and in so being, it is a 'living definition' of holistic psychology. Holistic psychology is alive - it is an acknowledgement of the complexity, fluidity, and interplay of  knowing , that which is known, and the continuously unfolding and interdependent relationship between the two. By asking, What is holistic psychology?, one has already stepped into the realm of exploring what is beyond the mind-centric psychological model that has shaped our field for decades. 

To reiterate, the answer (if there is one) is not so clear, and this is in part what has inspired the creation of the  Journal of Holistic Psychology - the question itself has inspired us to initiate an ongoing community dialogue and exploration. That said, if holistic sensibilities include such things as multiple perspectives and perspective-taking, then any 'definition' of holistic psychology would also necessarily emerge in an organic and continuously-unfolding way from and within numerous ways of being, numerous ways of knowing via the discipline of psychology, which from our perspective includes much more than simply the human mind or brain. 

In the introduction to  Volume I , we speak to the great complexity of multi-perspectival appreciations, of ways of appreciating part-whole, or individual-all approaches to 'seeing' and experiencing the world. In short, holistic psychology is an all-inclusive dialogue from countless perspectives that honors the fact that each perspective finds its wholeness as a direct result of being an included 'part'; i.e. holistic is whole-istic.

The  Journal of Holistic Psychology  looks forward to the many ways our community will explore this question.

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