Which term refers to the belief in only one kind of substance being the basis of reality?

Monism is the term that refers to the belief in only one kind of substance being the basis of reality. This philosophical perspective asserts that all of reality is composed of a single substance or principle, whether it is material or immaterial. In psychology, monism aligns with the idea that mental states are reducible to physical states or that the mind and body are aspects of the same entity.

This belief contrasts with dualism, which posits that there are two fundamentally different substances or realms—typically the mental and the physical. Pluralism suggests there are multiple substances or realities, allowing for a diversity of perspectives. Absolutism often relates to the belief in absolute truths or principles but does not specifically address the substance of reality in the same way as monism does. Thus, monism is accurately described as the view that there is only one underlying substance that constitutes reality.