Biological approach

Question 1

What are the 4 assumptions of the biological approach?

Answer 1

1. All behaviour is driven by physiological factors
2. Genetic factors, biological structures & neurochemistry drive our behaviour
3. Emphasises our nature in shaping behaviour
   - Believes in the nature side of N-N debate
4. The most scientific approach, using precise measurements (e.g. FMRI) to record responses, increasing reliability & validity

Question 2

What subtopics can the biological approach be broken into?

Answer 2

1. Evolution & behaviour
2. Genes & behaviour
3. Neuroanatomy & behaviour
4. Neurochemistry & behaviour

Question 3

What did Charles Darwin suggest about evolution & behaviour?

Answer 3

• All our behaviour has been acquired through natural selection & survival of the fittest

Question 4

Define Evolution?

Define Natural selection?

Define Adaptive?

Answer 4

• Gradual change within a species over several generations due to environmental pressures
• Process where inherited characteristics that enhance survival are passed onto next generation
• Refers to behaviour or traits that will increase the chance of survival & reproductive success

Question 5

What did Seligman (1971) suggest?

Give an example

Answer 5

• Suggested there was a biological preparedness to phobias of specific things
• There is an innate tendency to develop phobias to harmful stimuli
• This explain why there are fears to water, spiders, snaked etc
• These phobias are seen as adaptive, showing fear to spiders leads to better survival rates
• e.g. Arachnophobia is one of the most common phobias, has survivial value

Question 6

What can also be seen as an adaptive behaviour?

Answer 6

• Forgetting
• Traumas that may disrupt thought processes & everyday life can be forgotten
• So the brain is clear of non-essential distractions

Question 7

What is the main assumption of Genes & behaviour?

Answer 7

• Behavioural genetics tried to identify behaviour e.g. intelligence, aggression, personality & mental illness to see if they are inherited same as physical characteristics (e.g. eye colour)
• All humans are 99.9% genetically similar but we have a unique genotype

Question 8

Define a genotype?

Answer 8

• Genetic constitution of an individual (each cell contains this copy)
• Variation in human genotype is 0.1%
• This 0.1% difference can account for enormous variation across the species
• e.g. we share a 98% genetic similarity to chimpanzees

Question 9

Define a phenotype?

Provide an example of PKU?

Answer 9

• Phenotype is the result of interactions between inherited characteristics (genotype) & the environment
• PKU (Phenylketonuria) is a rare genetic disorder
• Detected by the heel prick test on babies
• Causes severe learning difficulties in those who carry the genotype
• If detected early, child can be placed on a restricted diet (environmental factor) & will develop normally without complications

Question 10

How are genetic influences usually studied?

Answer 10

• Through twin studies & family studies
• In twin studies identical twins (Monozygotic/MZ) are genetically identical vs non-identical twins (Dizygotic/DZ) sharing 50% genetic similarity
• If we find MZ twins are more similar than DZ twins we can say this is due to genetics as they share same environment

Question 11

Outline genetic inheritance & OCD?

Answer 11

• Nedstadt (2010) reviewed twin studies
• Found 0.67 concordance rate for MZ twins but only 0.31 for DZ twins
• So genetics are involved in transmission of OCD

Question 12

Outline genetic inheritance & Schizophrenia?

Answer 12

• Joseph (2004)
• Found support to show how genetic similarity can increase risk of developing the schiz
• From pooled data before 2001, Joseph found 40% concordance rate in schizophrenia for MZ twins (who share 50% genetic similarity)
• Higher concordance rate for MZ twins suggests genes have some influence on development of the disorder

Question 13

What’s the assumption of Neuroanatomy?

Answer 13

• Tries to observe relationship between various areas of the brain & their functions
• This has been a difficult process made complex by the brain’s plasticity
• Researchers have been able to identify areas of the brain & their specific functions
• Historically this has been by using case studies of brain damaged patients/psychosurgery
• In modern times brain scanning devices are used
• Raine (1997) used PET scans to identify areas of murderers brains (who pleaded not guilty due to insanity)

Question 14

Explain research conducted by Raine (1997)?

Answer 14

• Raine (1997) used PET scans to identify areas of the brain in murderers (who pleaded not guilty due to insanity NGRI)
• Murderers showed less activity in frontal lobe, especially pre-frontal cortex (associated with rational thinking, self restraint & memory)
• Less activity in the parietal lobe (associated with abstract thinking e.g. ‘morality’/’justice’)
• There was more activity in the occipital lobe (vision)

Question 15

Where is the Broca’s area?

What does it do?

What happens if damaged?

Answer 15

• Left hemisphere (hemispheric lateralisation), frontal lobe
• Responsible for converting thought into speech
• They become aphased

Question 16

Where is the Wernicke’s area?

What does it do?

How is it organised?

Answer 16

• Left hemisphere (hemispheric lateralisation), temporal lobe
• Comprehends other people’s speech
• They become aphased

Question 17

Outline Maguire in relation to biological structures changing in response to environmental stimuli?

Answer 17

• Increased grey matter found in brains of taxi drivers vs control Pt’s in two brain regions (right & left hippocampi)
• Increased grey matter found in posterior (rear) hippocampus
• Changes with navigation experience (correlation between time spent as a taxi driver & volume in right posterior hippocampus)
• Results show differences between hippocampi of London taxi drivers & control participants
• Suggests extensive practice with spatial navigation effects the hippocampus

Question 18

What’s the assumption of Neurochemistry?

Answer 18

• As with neuroanatomy if some behaviours/mental disorders are genetically inherited then what is inherited is likely to be something within the brain
• If it’s not the neuroanatomy then it must be neurochemistry
• Neurochemistry concerns chemical processes that take place in the brain

Question 19

What are NT’s?

Answer 19

• Chemical messengers released by synaptic neuron & passed to a post-synaptic neuron connected at a synapse
• If receiving neuron contains correct receptor the NT’s dock via a lock & key system
• If NT is inhibitory it will make the receiving neuron less likely to fire (decreasing activity in brain)
• If NT has an excitatory function it makes receiving neuron more likely to fire (increasing activity in brain)

Question 20

3 examples of NT’s?

Answer 20

• GABA (Gamma-amino butyric acid)
• Adrenaline
• Serotonin

Question 21

GABA’s role & effect on behaviour?

Answer 21

• Inhibitory NT (most common type)
• GABA lessens ability of a nerve cell to receive, create or send NT’s to other nerve cells
• GABA produces a calming effect

Question 22

Adrenaline’s role & effect on behaviour?

Answer 22

• Used for F/F response
• Released from adrenal gland
• used as a hormone & can be used to treat life-threatening conditions (epilepesy)

Question 23

Serotonin’s role & effect on behaviour?

Answer 23

• Inhibitory NT & is a monoamine NT
• Serotonin carries messages between nerve cells in your brain & body
• Serotonin produces feelings of happiness & stabilises mood

Question 24

AO3 Biological approach
Practical applications?

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Question 25

AO3 Biological approach
Research taken on animals instead of humans?

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Question 26

AO3 Biological approach
Extremely scientific?

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Question 27

AO3 Biological approach
Credible research evidence?
(Phineas Gage)

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