Biological Approach

Question 1

What is a PET scan?

Answer 1

Positron Emission Tomography - radioactive glucose injected into bloodstream. Parts of brain active during a task use most blood flow so shows activity. Average activity over 60 sec only

Question 2

What is a MRI scan?

Answer 2

Provides detail on structure only. Magnetic resonance imaging

Question 3

What is a fMRI scan?

Answer 3

Functional magnetic resonance imaging. Shows structure and function

Question 4

What is an EEG?

Answer 4

Electro enchapolograph. Measures electrical brain waves. Can show abnormalities

Question 5

What is ERP?

Answer 5

Measure of brain response (electrical) when performing a set task

Question 6

Who studied taxi drivers?

Answer 6

Maguire (2000)

Question 7

What did Maguire find?

Answer 7

Taxi drivers in London had a larger hippocampus than a control group of non- taxi drivers. It was a natural experiment on men with an average age of 44. Concluded that the hippocampus was responsible for spatial representation of the environment

Question 8

What are the 3 main assumptions of the BA?

Answer 8

Behaviour can be understood by looking at genes, hormones, the nervous system and evolution
Everything that is psychological was first biological
NHA research can inform us about human behaviour

Question 9

Who studied MZ and DZ twins and schizophrenia ?

Answer 9

Gottesman (1991)

Question 10

What did Gottesman find?

Answer 10

That MZ twins had a 48% concordance rate whereas DZ had 17%

Question 11

What does DZ stand for?

Answer 11

Dizygotic- non-identical

Question 12

What does MZ stand for?

Answer 12

Monozygotic- identical

Question 13

What is a concordance rate?

Answer 13

The rate that people will share the same disorder

Question 14

Heston (1966) conducted an adoption study and found that 5 of the 47 adopted children whose biological mother had schizophrenia developed it themselves (comp to 0 controls). What does this show?

Answer 14

Schizophrenia has a genetic basis but it is not the whole story

Question 15

Define genotype

Answer 15

The genes a person has

Question 16

Define phenotype

Answer 16

The characteristics that the genes produce, eg curly hair

Question 17

Who studied mate preference?

Answer 17

Buss (1989)

Question 18

What did Buss find?

Answer 18

That in almost all of his 37 samples throughout the world, men sought young, attractive women whilst women sough older, ambitious males. Implies an evolutionary basis to attraction.

Question 19

What did Singh find?

Answer 19

A preference for 0.69 hip-to-waist ratio in women (by men). Supports Buss

Question 20

Is serotonin a hormone or a neurotransmitter?

Answer 20

Neurotransmitter

Question 21

Is oestrogen a hormone or neurotransmitter?

Answer 21

Hormone

Question 22

What is the function of the endocrine system?

Answer 22

To regulate bodily functions

Question 23

What is the role of the hypothalamus?

Answer 23

To control the pituitary gland

Question 24

Which is the master gland?

Answer 24

The pituitary gland. It releases hormones that control the others

Question 25

What is another name for the endocrine system?

Answer 25

The hormonal system

Question 26

How do hormones have an effect?

Answer 26

Diffuse with blood and travel round the body to target organs - can only bind to specific receptors though (target cells)

Question 27

What does the pineal gland produce?

Answer 27

Melatonin - controls sleep

Question 28

What does the thyroid gland produce?

Answer 28

Thyroxine. Regulates growth

Question 29

What does the parathyroid produce?

Answer 29

Parathyroid hormone - controls levels of minerals, eg calcium - which also helps growth

Question 30

What does the thymus gland do?

Answer 30

Regulates immune system

Question 31

What do the adrenal glands do?

Answer 31

Regulate stress response. Contains 2 parts - adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla

Question 32

What does the pancreas produce?

Answer 32

Insulin and glucagon - blood sugar regulation

Question 33

What do the gonads produce?

Answer 33

Ovaries - oestrogen | Testes - testosterone

Question 34

What does NOT increase during fight or flight?

Answer 34

Digestion activity

Question 35

Which part of the nervous system is involved in fight or flight?

Answer 35

Autonomic- sympathetic branch - speeds things up and stimulates behavioural response. It is automatic - by-passes consciousness

Question 36

What can you do to reduce stress and an exam and trigger your PNS?

Answer 36

Breathe deeply

Question 37

Which structure triggers fight or flight?

Answer 37

Hypothalamus

Question 38

What is a synapse?

Answer 38

Junction between cells/neurone

Question 39

What is a synaptic cleft?

Answer 39

The gap

Question 40

State one strength and one weakness of the BA?

Answer 40

Strength - evidence based (empirical) and scientific | Weakness - reductionist