Approaches: The Biological Approach

Question 1

What are the assumptions of the biological approach?

Answer 1

To fully understand behaviour, we must look to biological structures and processes within the body (such as genes, neurochemistry and nervous system). An upstanding of brain structure and function can explain our thoughts and behaviour.
- from this approach, the mind lives in the brain - meaning all thoughts, feelings and behaviour is have a physical basis. This constraints the cognitive approach, which believes the mind is separate from the physical brain.

Question 2

What is the genetic basis for behaviour?

Answer 2

This studies whether behavioural characteristics such as intelligence, personality, mental disorders, etc, are inherited as physical characteristics.

Question 3

How are twin studies used to show the genetic basis of behaviour?

Answer 3

Twin studies are used to show how likely it is that these characteristics are inherited by comparing concordance rates between the twin pairs; that is to see how much the twins share the same characteristics
- if MZ twins (identical) have a higher concordance rates than non-identical (DZ) twins, it would suggest a genetic basis. This is because MZ share 100% of each others genes, whilst DZ twins share about 50% (same an any other sibling)

Question 4

What’s a genotype?

Answer 4

Is the actual make up of their genes

Question 5

What’s a phenotype?

Answer 5

The way their genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics
—> the expression of a genotype is through environmental factors (e.g. identical twins may look slightly different, as one may exercise more or dyed their hair)

Question 6

What does the genotype and phenotype suggest?

Answer 6

That much of human behaviour depends on interaction between the inherited factors (nature) and the environmental factors (nuture)

Question 7

What’s the theory of evaluation for the biological approach?

Answer 7

The principle is that any behaviour that benefits a species - helping it survive and reproduce will continue in future generations. In some animals they can be bred to have certain desirable characteristics
- in nature, the selection takes place naturally, and occurs because the traits are desirable and give the species an advantage - therefore they survive and pass on these traits to their offspring.

Question 8

What’s some evaluation of the biological approach?

Answer 8

+ scientific methods
+ has real-life applications
- methodological problems in separating nature and nuture
- biological reductionism - ignores the whole person
- deterministic - determined by genes