4.2.1 BIOLOGICAL

Question 1

what are the assumptions of the biological approach?

Answer 1

• all behaviour is strongly influenced by our genetic makeup and genetic inheritance
• behaviour is not learned from others around you -> it’s innate
• everything psychological is first biological
  -> genetics
  -> nervous system
  -> brain
  -> biological processes

Question 2

what are the features of the biological approach?

Answer 2

• humans have evolved to behave in certain ways that have allowed the species to survive
  -> gradual change in genetic makeup of a species over time
• human behaviour influenced by genetic makeup and genetic inheritance
• uses biological structures to explain behaviour
• makes use of twin studies to study behaviour and the involvement of genetic factors

Question 3

what is Darwins Theory of Natural Selection?

Answer 3

• theory of natural selection

in any given species
- the ‘weaker genes’ die out
- adaptive genes survive

• human behaviour has therefore become ‘wired in’ due to evolution

Question 4

what is Bandura’s study?
METHOD

Answer 4

STUDY ONE (1961)
children observed:
- adult behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll
(hitting it with a mallet, verbal aggression)
- adult behaving non-aggressively towards a Bobo doll

STUDY TWO (1961)
children observed an adult who was:
- rewarded
- punished
- there was no consequences

Question 5

what were the findings?
BANDURA

Answer 5

STUDY ONE
- when given their own doll to play with
- children who’d seen aggressive behaviour were more aggressive towards the doll
- boys were more aggressive than girls
-> testosterone links to aggressive behaviour

this is how kids learn

STUDY TWO
- after interacting with the Bobo doll
- when given their own dolls, the children who’d seen aggressive behaviour rewarded were more aggressive towards the doll
-> vicarious enforcement

Question 6

evaluate Bandura’s study?

Answer 6

• bobo dolls are meant to be hit -> demand characteristics
• practical application -> video games
• boys / girls (biology argument)
• exposing them to violence and no consequence

Question 7

what is the definition of genetics?

Answer 7

• study of the genetic makeup of organisms and how genes influence physical and behavioural characteristics

Question 8

what’s the definition of hereditary?

Answer 8

• traits, characteristics and behavioural tendencies inherited from one’s parents and in turn their ancestors

Question 9

what’s the definition of genotype?

Answer 9

• actual genetic makeup
  eg) height / hair / eye colour

Question 10

what’s the definition of a phenotype?

Answer 10

• expression of genotype due to environment

Question 11

how can we carry out family studies?

Answer 11

concordance rate = % of similarity between 2 people for a trait

• the higher the %, the more likely a genetic trait
• there’s never 100%, no trait is purely genetic
• none of them have the same genetics but have shared environment
• cannot separate nature from nurture

Question 12

how can carry out twin studies?

Answer 12

• same genetics (monozygotic [rare])
• same environment
• look at concordance rate
  -> still cannot isolate the role of learning

Question 13

how can we carry out adoption studies?

Answer 13

• monozygotic twins
• split them and raise each in a different environment
• if the same behaviour occurs then it’s genetic
• if it’s different then it’s learnt or environmental

Question 14

how can we carry out animal and brain studies?

Answer 14

ANIMAL
- using rats / mice

BRAIN
- fMRI
- PET scans
- CAT scans
- MRI scans

Question 15

what are some applications of the biological approach?

Answer 15

1) understanding of the role of neurotransmitters
- led to the development of drugs
- these are effective in the treatment of mental disorders
- eg) schizophrenia / depression
- enables many sufferers to lead a fairly normal life

• however these drugs aren’t effective for all patients
• they can have serious side effects
• they don’t cure disorders
• if the patients stop taking the drug the symptoms reappear

Question 16

what are some strengths of the biological approach?

Answer 16

1) uses scientific research methods
- like EEGs, fMRI, PET scans and twin studies
- these produce objective data
- can be replicated and peer reviewed

2) the approach can provide evidence to support / disprove a theory
- is a very scientific approach

3) if a biological cause is found for mental health problems / unwanted behaviour
- biological treatments can be developed

Question 17

how can twin studies be a limitation of the biological approach?

Answer 17

1) could be argued that twin studies don’t separate nature and nurture
- twins are raised and live in the same environment
- difference in concordance rate found between MZ and DZ twins could be bc MZ twins are treated more similarly by their parents than DZ twins bc they look similar
- usually we don’t find 100% concordance rate in MZ twins for mental disorders
-> indicates environmental and social factors must be involved in the development

Question 18

what are some other limitations of the biological approach?

Answer 18

1) could be argued that the unbalance in neurotransmitters such as low serotonin in depressed individuals is the consequence
- rather than the cause of depression
- the brain is a plastic organ
- changes with the way we use it
- could be that the depressed thinking causes the low level of serotonin

2) the approach is determinist
- sees our behaviour as caused entirely by biological factors which we have no control over
- encourages ppl not to take responsibility for their own actions
- blame their genetic makeup

3) approach is reductionist
- reduces our behaviour to the outcome of the actions of genres and other biological processes
- neglecting the effects of childhood and our social and cultural environment

4) imbalance in neurotransmitters is usually not directly observed
- it’s deduced from drug trials
- patients are given the drugs
- seen to improve
- we deduce that it was the lack of the neurotransmitters which cause the disorder but this might not be the case