1.1.6 The Biological Approach compare and contrast (Bi)

Question 1

What is the key assumption of the biological approach?

Answer 1

All that is psychological is first biological

Question 2

What research methods are used in the biological approach?

Answer 2

Brain scans (e.g MRI or PET scans)
Lab experiments (e.g double blind trials)

Question 3

What therapy is used in the biological approach, and what does it do?

Answer 3

Drug therapy, it alters neurotransmitter levels which then reduce the symptoms of mental illness

Question 4

Is drug therapy effective? Is it invasive?

Answer 4

• It is effective in reducing symptoms of mental illness

* it is non invasive

Question 5

Is the biological approach nature or nurture?

Answer 5

It is purely nature (scientific)

Question 6

How scientific is the biological assumption?

Answer 6

Completely scientific

Question 7

How objective and controlled is the biological assumption research?

Answer 7

The research is strictly controlled and any objectivity is eliminated by double blind trials

Question 8

Is the biological approach reductionist or holistic, what does this mean?

Answer 8

• reductionist - it reduces a set of complex behaviours to a set of simple explanations

Question 9

Is the biological approach deterministic? What does that mean?

Answer 9

Yes, we have no control over our behaviours, they are purely the result of our biology

Question 10

Is the biological approach nomothetic or idiographic? What does this mean?

Answer 10

• nomothetic - it looks to make generalisations about people, to explain behaviour by universal laws