BIOLOGICAL APPROACH

Question 1

Everything psychological issues at first biological

Answer 1

• Behaviour is due to a physical cause
• This can be genetic, biochemistry, neuroanatomy and the nervous system

Question 2

The mind and body are the same

Answer 2

• the mind lives in the brain meaning that all thoughts and feelings and behaviours ultimately have a physical basis.

Question 3

Neurochemical basis of behaviour

Answer 3

• Neurochemistry refers to the action of chemicals in the brain - neurotransmitters transmit messages

Question 4

Genetic basis of behaviour (twin studies)

Answer 4

• Twin studies are used to investigate genetic influences concordance rates between twins are calculated. The extent in which twins share characteristics

Question 5

Concordance rate of twins

Answer 5

• higher concordance rate among identical (mz) twins 100% (dz) twins 50% is evidence for genetic basis

Question 6

dizygotic twins

Answer 6

non-identical, lower concordance rates

Question 7

monozygotic twins

Answer 7

identical, higher concordance rates

Question 8

phenotype & genotype

Answer 8

genotype = the particular set of genes that someone possesses.

phenotype = the characteristics of an individual determined by genes and the environment.

Question 9

(Evolution and Behaviour)?

Answer 9

• evolution is a fact.
• 19th century – Charles Darwin (1859) – natural selection theory.

Question 10

what is natural selection

Answer 10

• any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individuals survival will continue in future generation,
• but if the possessor does not reproduce these genes will not remain in the gene pool.

Question 11

practical applications development of drug treatsments and exp of psych disorders

Answer 11

• Genetics and biochemistry provide explanations of the causes of psych disorders e.g. OCD.
• Led to drug treatments are effective and allow suffers to manage condition and live normal life – bio approach benefits society

Question 12

scientific methods.

Answer 12

• Experimental studies taken placed inhighly controlled environmentsso able to be replicated by researchers, thus adding validity to original findings.
• Examples are drug trials and twin studies. e.g nestadl et al.
• means bio approach is based on reliable data and objective data

Question 13

Determistic

Answer 13

• Suggests human behaviour is governed by internal bio causes over which we have no control.
• Implications of the legal systems and wider society – i.e. law states criminals are seen as legally and morally responsible for their actions this
• suggests the biological exp is way too simplistic and ignores the mediating effects of the enviroment

Question 14

Biologically Reductionist

Answer 14

• Because it reduces complex behaviours down to simple components e.g. genes or neurotransmitters
• This means all other possible influences on behaviour are ignored.
• A full holistic picture of human behaviour requires a study of both biological and environmental influences.

Question 15

Counterpoint of world wide applications (cipriani et al)

Answer 15

• cipriani et al compared 21 antidepressants drugs and found wide variations in their effectiveness.
• this challenges the value of the biological approach as it suggests the ur brain chemistry alone may not account all cases of depression.

Question 16

Nestadt et al (2000) application in diagnosis

Answer 16

• 1st degree relatives of OCD suffer have a 11.7% chance of developing OCD compared to 2.7% chance in general population
• suggests there is a genetic basis for OCD as parents pass on vulnerability to OCD to their offspring – increasing their risk