Biological Approach Flashcards
What is the main assumption of the biological approach
Everything psychological is at first biological
ASMPTN-What does the biological approach investigation
how biological processes and structures within the body impact behaviour
ASMPTN - What does the biological approach believe about much of human behaviour
has an x cause whihc may be xxx
has a physiological cause
which
may be genetically/environmentally altered
ASMPTN -What does the biological approach say about genes
genes affet behaviour
and
influence individual psychological difference between people
AS- what does evolutionary psychology consider
x influences in x x
genetic influences in common behaviours
ASMPTN - what does 3 things does the biological approach think psychologists should study
brain
NS
and other biological systems e.g chemicals ,hormones acting on the brain
What is another key assumption of the BA about brian
Mind lives in the brain
so all thoughts , feelings and behaviours
ultimatley have a physical basis
How does -
Mind lives in the brain so all thoughts , feelings and behaviours ultimatley have a physical basis -
contrast to the cognitive approach
cog approach sees mental processes of the mind
as being seperate from the physical brain
GBOB - what are psychologists intersted in determining and trying to find evidence for
extent to which….
e.g
are a product of x or x x
extent to which certain behaviours or qcharacteristics
e.g intelligence
are a product of inheritance(genes) or environmental influences
GBOB- define genotype
particular set of genes a person possesses
GBOB- define phenotype
observable characteristics of an individual
determined by genes and the interaction of this with the environment
GBOB- define genes
basic units of heredity
GBOB-What provides the basis for genetic variability
genes function in …
certain type of process of genes from xx provides basis for ..
genes function in pairs
recombo genes from parents to offspring provides the basis for genetic variability
GBOB-What is an individuals phenotype determined by
Genotype
GBOB-Where can evidence for whether psychological characteristics e.g intelligence are inheried in the same way height/eye colout are
family studies
twin studies
adoption studies
GBOB-What has research shown about the environment in relation to genes
enviro can play a bigger role in determining behaviour than genetics
GBOB- What have selective breeding studies shown:
how a # of x x can have a xxx
how a number of behaviour characteristics e.g aggresion can have a genetic basis/bias
ASMPTN - what 2 biological things must we fully look at to understand human behaviour
biological structures and processes within the body to understand human behaviour
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - define evolution
changes
inherited characteristics
in a biological population
over succesive generations
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - whats fancy about genes in evolution
genes are mechanisms in which evolution takes place
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - what are the two main concepts
natural selection
sexual selection
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - define natural selection
animals w particular traits: provide an evolutionary advantage
survive
pass traits from gen to gen whilst others which don’t die out
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - what are twin studies used for
investigate whether certain psychological characteristics have a genetic basis
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES genetic basis of behviour - how are twin studies investigated
analysing concordance rates
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - what are concordance rates
extent which twins share same characteristics (degree of similarity)
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - Define monozygtic
2wins formed when fertilised cell splits into 2 + forms 2wo seperate embryos
so share 100% of same genes
identical
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - Define dizygotic
twins formed when 2wo SEPERATE eggs both become fertilised by DIFFERENT sperm cells
share about 50% same genes
non identical
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - if characteristics is genetic what’s expected
MONOZYGOTIC TWINS TO BE CONCORDANT as they share 100% of the same genes
DIZYGOTIC TWINS to show lower concordance rates
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - if characteristics is genetic what’s expected continued …… what is assumed
environment assumed to be constant
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - what can be made betwen twins
Comparisons can be made between twins raised together and twins raised apart
INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - What are identical twins a good example of and why
interaction between inheritance/genotype and the environment
they have same genetic makeup and look alike but posess different phenotypes
any differences you may say btwn them may be due to differences in experience/environment
EVALUATION - Strength - real world application
a strenght of the bio approach is that it has many real world applications
drug therapies have been developed for many mental illnesses based on research into neurotransmitters
e.g AD work to increase serotonin levels in the brain, based on the understanding of how low levels of serotonin contribute to depressive symptoms
so by understaning abnormal neurochemical activity in the brain has not been only helpful for developing treatments but has also provided patients with an explanation that their illness isn’t their fault
EVALUATION - counterargument - Limitation - AD drugs dont work for everyone
although AD successful for many patients dont owrk for everyone
study compared 21 different AD and found wide variations in their effectiveness
Although most > effective than placebos in comparitive trials researchers concluded effects of AD mainly modest
THIS CHALLENGES VALUE OF BA as suggets brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases of , for exmaple depression
EVALUATION - Strength - Scientific Method
uses scientific methods of investigation
to investigate genetic and biological basis of behav bio approach makes use of a range of precise and highly objective methods e.g FMRI
With advances in technology it’s possible to accuratley measure physiological & neural processes in ways not open to bias
MEANS MUCH OF APPROACH BASED ON OBJECTIVE AND RELIABLE DATA
EVALUATION - WEAKNESS - BIOLOGICALLY DETERMINISTIC
A weakness of this approach is that biological explanations of human behaviour may be considered deterministic
e.g one assumption of bio approach is some human behaviours are the result of evolution : they max our chances of survival and repproduction and thus are naturally selected and inherited from our ancestors
such evolutionary calims are used to explain a variety of gender differences in human behaviour including aggression and stress. These imply humans have little control over their behaviour and suggest we are predetermined to act in a certain way regardless of experience, free will or the environment
this is problematic for those who dont follow typical or expected behaviours and overemphasises the role of nature on behaviour. It is also an explanation thats unfalsifiable and thus incapable of scientific validation
NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR - What does neurochemistry refer to
actions of chemicals in the brain
NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR - neural refers to
brain
NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR -what does much of our thought and behaviour rey on
chemical transmission in the brain
NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR - how does chemical transmission occur
using neurotransmitters
NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR - What has been implicated as a possible cause of mental disorder
imbalances of neurochemical s in the brain
e.g overproduction of dopamine in schizo
GENOTYPE PHENOTYPE - despite having same genes the way identical twins phenotype is
different
GENOTYPE PHENOTYPE - what idea does identical twins having the same gene but different phenotypes illustrate regarding what biologicla psychologists would accept
much of human behaviour depends upon an interaction between inhereted factors (nature) and environment (nurture)
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - the evlution of animals and plants is a
fact period
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - charles darwin proposed a theory called
natural selection
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - what is the main principle of natural selection
any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individuals survival and reproduction will continue in fiture generations
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - selective breeding is an example of natural selection explain through use of a famer
farmer selects which animals to use for further breeding - the one that possess desirable charcatersitics e.g cow with high milk yield
this means his stock will become progressivley better milk producers
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - in terms of selective breeding how does this selection take place
naturally - no one decides
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - explain further why selection occurs naturaly
simply because ..
some traits give the possesor advantages
theerfore possesr is more likely to survive , reproduce and pass on these traits
EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - in natural selection if individual with advantageous traits survives but doesnt produce what happens
traits dont remain in hte gene pool for successive generations
