biological approach Flashcards
assumptions
- everything psychological is first biological
- to fully understand human behaviour we must look at biological structures & processes
neurochemistry
= action of chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters)
—> imbalance of neurochemicals in brain has been linked to mental disorders
eg. low levels of serotonin linked to OCD or overproduction of dopamine linked to schizophrenia
describe the genetic basis of behaviour
- twin studies investigate whether certain psychological characteristics have a genetic basis
- analyse concordance rates
- if characteristic is genetic, we would expect monozygotic twins to be concordant
- this would not be true for dizygotic twins
- both cases = environment assumed to be constant
define genotype
actual genetic make-up
define phenotype
way genes are expressed through physical, behavioural & psychological characteristics
why would many biological psychologists argue human behaviour is a combination of nature (inherited factors) and nurture (environment)
despite having the same genes, the way monozygotic twins genes are expressed (phenotype) is different
describe evolution & behaviour
- charles darwin proposed the theory of natural selection = genetically determined behaviour enhances individuals survival/reproduction will continue in future generations
- in nature, selection happens ‘naturally’
- selection occurs because as some traits give possessor certain advantages
AO3 (+) the biological approach has real-world application
E:
- increased understanding of neurochemical processes in the brain is associated with use of psychoactive drugs to treat mental disorders
- eg. biological approach has promoted treatment of clinical depression by antidepressants which increase neurotransmitter serotonin in synapses in the brain
- associated with reduction of depressive symptoms
T: people with depression can better manage their condition and live their lives in the community rather than hospital
AO3 (-) counterpoint to real-world application
E:
- antidepressants don’t work for everyone
- cipriani et al. (2018) compared 21 antidepressant drugs & found wide variations in effectiveness
- most drugs were more effective than placebos in comparative trials, but researchers concluded the effects of antidepressants were ‘mainly modest’
T: challenges value of biological approach as it suggests brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases (of eg. depression)
AO3 (+) uses scientific methods of investigation
E:
- to investigate genetic & biological basis of behaviour, the approach uses precise/objective methods
- eg. scanning techniques (fMRI & EEGs)
- advances in technology mean it’s possible to accurately measure physiological & neural processes in ways not open to bias
T: much of biological approach based on objective/reliable data
AO3 (-) the biological approach is determinist
E:
- views human behaviour as governed by internal, genetic causes which we have no control over
- however, phenotypes are heavily influenced by the environment
- not even monozygotic twins look/think the same
T: suggests biological view is too simplistic & ignores mediating effects of environment
