Approaches (AS): Biological Approach Flashcards
What is the Biological approach?
A perspective that emphasises the importance of the brain structure, physical processes such as genetic inheritance and neural functions on behaviour
What are the basic assumptions of the biological approach?
Everything psychological is at first biological so we must first understand biological structures e.g., the brain
All thoughts, feelings and behaviours ultimately have a physical basis
What is genotype?
A person’s genotype is their actual genetic makeup (e.g. eye colour and height)
What is phenotype?
Phenotype is the way that genes are expressed physically, behavioural and psychologically based on environmental factors
What is concordance rate?
percentages to show how many twin pairs share a particular behaviour under observation
What is the belief of evolutionary psychology?
We have developed certain behaviours through evolution in order to adapt to or enviornment.
How do evolutionary psychologists explain psychological traits?
as survival-enhancing adaptations.
Believed to be random change of mutation in genetic makeup
This leads to charactersistics of behavioural change
If this change is good, it increases the rate of survival and is likely to be passed on
This means the mutation has been adaptive
What’s an example of evolutionary behaviour
Evolution of aggression.
Agression at some point will have been advaageous in terms of survival e.g acquistion of resources or protection of family
Increases attractveness to potential mates
Increases chances of reproduction and the trait of aggression being passed on and the behaviour becoming more widespread
What research was done into aggression?
Research into genetic basis of aggression MAOA (warrior gene) is found in 1/3 of men Brunner et al (1993).
What is a drawback on evolutionary psychology?
that the traits that we possess now evolved under environmental and social conditions far back in human history, and we have a poor understanding of what these conditions were.
Therefore, making predictions about what is adaptive for a behaviour is difficult because they don’t need to be adaptive under current conditions.
What did Heston (1996) study on genetic behavioural traits detail?
performed a study looking at adoptees and assessing development of schizophrenia (or other psychotic disorders) depending on whether their biological mothers had schizophrenia and whether they were brought up in a disturbed or healthy family environment.
The study found that 36.8% of adoptees whose biological mothers had schizophrenia (high genetic risk) and who were raised in disturbed family environments were likely to develop schizophrenia.
Of those adoptees with high genetic risk but who were brought up in a healthy family environment, only 5.8% were likely to develop schizophrenia.
What is the role of the CNS?
Pivotal in transferring messages to and from the environment
Physiology of individuals is controlled here: breathing, eating, heartbeat, senses etc.
Psychologists look at the brain to study behaviour as most behaviour as most actions and reactions are generated from the CNS
What is the role of the PNS?
Sends and receives information to the CNS as it is the nervous system for the limbs and torso which collect info from the environment in terms of temperature, pain and treats
What is the role of the autonomic part of the PNS?
Automatically regulates the function of body systems outside of voluntary control. Important for survival of individual. Responsible for reaction to threat and returning body back to normality
What is the role of the somatic part of the PNS?
comprised of muscles attached to the skeletal system, facilitates communication between the CNS and the outside world. The somatic nervous system is made up of sensory receptors that carry information to the spinal cord and brain, and motor pathways that allow the brain to control movement.
