the debate over whether to approach an issue, specifically a psychological one, from a holistic or an atomistic viewpoint, that being, whether to see some phenomenon as a structured set of elements or as an integrated operating totality. 2. the dilemma of whether or not to acquire something by memorizing its constituent portions or by trying to force the totality to memory.
PART-WHOLE PROBLEM I: “It seems your son is facing a part-whole problem dilemma, which is inhibiting his performance on tests.”