9. The Biological Approach AO1 Flashcards
What is the biological approach?
Everything psychological is at first biological - to fully understand human behaviour, we must look to biological structures and processes within the body e.g. Genes
What does the biological approach suggest?
Behaviours are inherited in the same way as physical characteristics such as height or eye colour
What can neurochemistry explain?
Can explain behaviour e.g. Low levels of serotonin in OCD
What is a difference between the biological approach and cognitive approach?
Biological says the mind lives in the brain
Cognitive says they’re separate
What are twin studies used for?
To investigate the genetic basis of behaviour
What is calculated in twins?
Concordance rates
What are identical twins?
Monozygotic (MZ)
What are non-identical twins?
Dizygotic (DZ)
What is different about MZ and DZ twins?
Higher concordance rates amount identical which is evidence of genetic basis.
What did Nestadt find about twins?
68% MZ both have OCD
31% DZ both have OCD
What is a genotype?
Their actual genetic makeup
What is a phenotype?
The way genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics
What influences a persons genotype?
Environmental factors influence the expression of a persons genotype
What does research into genotype and phenotype suggest?
Much of human behaviour depends on the interaction of nature and nurture
What does the biological approach use and why?
The theory of evolution to explain many aspects of behaviour
