Biological approach Flashcards
What is the biological approach?
A perspective that emphasises the importance of physical processes in the body such as genetic inheritance and neural function.
It suggests that everything psychological is at first biological, so to fully understand human behaviour, we must look to biological structures and processes within the body.
What is the neurochemistry basis of behaviour?
It refers to the actions of chemicals in the brain. Much of out thought and behaviour relies on chemical transmission in the brain.
This occurs through neurotransmitters.
An imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain has been implicated as a possible cause of mental disorder.
What is the genetic basis of behaviour?
Psychological characteristics, such as intelligence are inherited in the same way as height or eye colour.
Twin studies are used to investigate wether certain psychological characteristics have a genetic basis.
This is achieved by analysing concordance rates- the extent to which twins share the same characteristic. If a characteristic is genetic we would expect all identical twins to be concordant.
Whereas the same would not be true for non-identical twins who share about 50% of the same genes.
What is a persons genotype and phenotype?
Genotype- The particular set of genes a person possesses.
Phenotype- The characteristics of an individual determined by both genes and the environment.
What is evolution?
The changes in inherited characteristics in a biological population over successive generation.
What was Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection?
Any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individual’s survival will continue in future generations.
Evaluation: What is one strength of the biological approach?
It has real-world application.
Increased understanding of neurochemical processes in the brain is associated with the use of psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders.
E.g. It has promoted treatment of clinical depression using antidepressant drugs that increase levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin at synapses in the brain.
This means that people with depression may be better able to manage their condition and live their lives in the community, rather than remain in hospital.
Evaluation: Another strength- scientific methods
It uses scientific methods in investigation.
Uses various scanning techniques (fMRIs and EEGs). With advancements in technology, it is possible to accurately measure physiological and neural processes in ways that are not open to bias.
This means that much of the biological approach is based on objective and reliable data.
Evaluation: Limitation of the biological approach.
It is biological deterministic.
It sees human behaviour as governed by internal, genetic causes over which we have no control.
However, not even identical twins who share the same genes look and think the same.
This suggests that the biological view is often too simplistic and ignores the mediating effects of the environment.
