Biological approach Flashcards
1
Q
What are the 4 assumptions of the biological approach?
A
- All behaviour is driven by physiological factors
- Genetic factors, biological structures & neurochemistry drive our behaviour
- Emphasises our nature in shaping behaviour
- Believes in the nature side of N-N debate - The most scientific approach, using precise measurements (e.g. FMRI) to record responses, increasing reliability & validity
2
Q
What subtopics can the biological approach be broken into?
A
- Evolution & behaviour
- Genes & behaviour
- Neuroanatomy & behaviour
- Neurochemistry & behaviour
3
Q
What did Charles Darwin suggest about evolution & behaviour?
A
- All our behaviour has been acquired through natural selection & survival of the fittest
4
Q
Define Evolution?
Define Natural selection?
Define Adaptive?
A
- 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
5
Q
What did Seligman (1971) suggest?
Give an example
A
- 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
6
Q
What can also be seen as an adaptive behaviour?
A
- Forgetting
- Traumas that may disrupt thought processes & everyday life can be forgotten
- So the brain is clear of non-essential distractions
7
Q
What is the main assumption of Genes & behaviour?
A
- 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
8
Q
Define a genotype?
A
- 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
9
Q
Define a phenotype?
Provide an example of PKU?
A
- 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
10
Q
How are genetic influences usually studied?
A
- 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
11
Q
Outline genetic inheritance & OCD?
A
- 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
12
Q
Outline genetic inheritance & Schizophrenia?
A
- 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
13
Q
What’s the assumption of Neuroanatomy?
A
- 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)
14
Q
Explain research conducted by Raine (1997)?
A
- 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)
15
Q
Where is the Broca’s area?
What does it do?
What happens if damaged?
A
- Left hemisphere (hemispheric lateralisation), frontal lobe
- Responsible for converting thought into speech
- They become aphased
