bio approach Flashcards
Assumptions
*physical factors like hormones, neuroanatomy, nervous system, inheritance of genes can all explain our behaviour
*genotype and phenotype will determine how we behave
What’s feature one?
The influence of genes on behaviour
What does feature one suggest
Suggests that behavioural characteristics liek intelligence, mh etc are genetically inherited the same way as physical characteristics.
*behaviours run in families
*closer genetic link to someone, greater inheritance
What would the genetic explanation suggest about OCD
*due to inheritance of polymeric maladaptive genes
What are concordance rates
How Genetic probability of sharing behaviour is measured
What’s a genotype
*specific set of genes, individual inherited from bio parents, unique to them. Can give predispo to disorders
What’s a phenotype
*product of what happens when genotype interacts with environment.
*how genes are expressed thru physical, behaviour and psychological characteristics.
What’s feature 2
Influence of biological structures on behaviour
What does feature 2 suggest
*brain can influence behaviour
*abnormalities in size/shape/ function in certain areas can lead to certain behaviours.
What’s an example of the influence of bio structures on behaviour
*enlarged ventricles in brain, increase likelihood of experiencing symptoms of schizo.
*abnormal functioning of para hippocampal gyrus to OCD
Whats feature 3
Influence of neurochem on behaviour
What does feature 3 suggest
neurotransmitter in the brain passes on information from the pre synap to post to produce behaviour/emotion.
*if imbalance it causes abnormal behaviours
What is the fourth feature
Evolution and behaviour
What does feature four suggest
Charles Drawins theory of natural selection, suggests that gen determined behavior that increases chance of survival and reproduction get passes on to offspring and generations
What in an example of behaviour that has been inherited?
*aggression
*as some point it wouldve been advantageous as it helps hunt food, attractive to mate, passed on to gens
*1/3 of men have MAOA warrior genes
Evaluate the bio approach
Limitations:
*P- criticized for bio determinism
E- approach states that an individual’s controlled by internal factors like neurochemicals that cause inevitably cause behaviour for example the reduction of serotonin contributing to compulsions in people with OCD.
E- this neglects the role of free will that an individual has to choose to whether to exert behaviours or not, this then leaves individuals feeling like they have no control over their behaviour, which could cause some people to feel powerless or lack accountability for their actions.
L- therefore limiting the appropriateness of the bio approach.
P- bio reductionism
E- approach reduces complex human behaviour down to simple basic units like genes, and neurochemical imbalances that may contribute to abnormal behaviours for example lack of serotonin contributing to OCD.
E-This fails to take into account a holistic approach that realizes the influence that social/cultural contexts could have on an individuals behaviour.
L- therefore may lack validity because it doesn’t allow behavior to be viewed in context.
Strengths;
P- practical applications
E- principle of the theory that behaviour is caused by imbalnce of neurotransmitters has lead to treatments like SSRIs.
E- effective in treating disorders like OCD, depression by increasing SERT uptake by blocking reuptake leading to reduced anxiety.
L- important part of applied psych in treating ppl in the real world.
P- scientific methods
E- based on scientific enquiry. Research based on objective and emp methods like gene mapping and brain scans - PET to identify location of diff types of LTM.
L- increases the overall int validity of bio exp, raising psych’s scientific status.
