biological approach

Question 1

What are some assumptions?

Answer 1

From a biological perspective, the mind lives in the brain – meaning that all thoughts, feelings and behaviour ultimately have a physical basis.
* Biological psychologists believe that the genes an individual possesses influence his or her behaviour.
* This also means that there is a belief in the process of evolution. It is believed that behaviour evolves the same way as physical characteristics through the process of evolutionary adaptation and natural selection.
* The central nervous system which comprises the brain and spinal cord is an important system as the brain is seen as the main focus when explaining behaviour. It is seen to be the origin of how the world is seen and acted upon by an individual.
* Neurochemistry is also important in explaining behaviour. Varying levels of the chemicals found both in the brain (neurotransmitters) and the body (hormones) are thought by biological psychologists to be related to an individual’s behaviour. They are believed to influence reactions to the environment.

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

the influence of genes, biological structures, and neurochemistry on behaviour. Genotype and phenotype, genetic basis of behaviour, evolution and behaviour

Question 2

What is the twin studies?

Answer 2

• Twin studies are used to determine the likelihood that certain traits have a genetic basis by comparing the concordance rate (the likelihood of both twins having the disorder) between identical and non-identical twins.
  
  • If an identical (monozygotic – MZ) twin is found to have a higher concordance rate than non-identical (dizygotic – DZ) twin for musical ability, schizophrenia, love of romantic films etc. this would suggest a genetic basis.
  • This is because MZ twins share 100% of each other’s genes, whilst DZ twins share about 50% (the same as siblings).

Question 3

The genetic basis of behaviour?

Answer 3

Biological psychologists believe that the genes an individual possess
 influence his/her behaviour.
* Each individual is typically born with 23 pairs of chromosomes 
which have been inherited from their birth parents.
* These are our genotype and form the basis for our behaviour.
* Biological psychologists believe our genes carry instructions for particular characteristics such as intelligence, personality and mental disorders.
* How these characteristics develop depends partly on the interaction with other genes and the environment.

Question 4

Genotype and phenotype?

Answer 4

• The genotype is an individual’s actual genetic make-up.
  
  • The phenotype of an individual is the product of what happens when the genotype interacts with the environment. It is the way the genes are expressed.

Question 5

The influence of neurochemistry on behaviour?

Answer 5

• Neurochemistry is the biochemistry of the central nervous
system. Hormones are the chemicals which travel through the 
blood.
  
  • However in the brain, the transmission of chemicals is via the 
cerebral fluid. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters 
and are seen to be important by biological psychologists as 
they are thought to affect behaviour.
  • An example of this is that high levels of a neurotransmitter 
called dopamine are related to schizophrenia, (we will look at
 this more in biopsychology)

Question 6

Evolution and behaviour?

Answer 6

• Biological psychologists would argue certain human
behaviours and physical characteristics exist 
because they are adaptive (aid survival).
  
  • For example, aggression can be seen as an adaptive
behaviour. This is because at some point aggression
will have been advantageous for our ancestors. This may be because aggression 
creates protection for the family and resources.
  • This trait will be seen as attractive to the opposite sex therefore making the likelihood of passing on the gene much greater. Over time the aggression gene will become more widespread. Therefore certain behaviours have evolved because they are adaptive.

Question 7

Strength’s:

Answer 7

• adopts scientific methods for investigation using measures that are largely objective (not subject to opinion)
• It is possible to accurately measure biological and neural processes in ways that are not open to bias, therefore supporting the biological approach as it is based on reliable data.
• its real-world application.

Question 8

Weaknesses:

Answer 8

• However, what the biological approach does not take into account is that twins and family members are exposed to the same environment. This means that findings could just as easily be interpreted as supporting nurture rather than nature as it could be that the behaviour has been learned through the environment rather than shared through genes.
• too simplistic and do not do justice to the complexity of human behaviour. This means they are reductionists, as they often fail to acknowledge the role of the environment in behaviour.