Biological approach

Question 1

Assumptions of the biological approach?

Answer 1

• everything psychological is at first biological
• must look at biological structures and processes within the body
• the mind lives in the brain so thoughts, feelings and behaviour have a physical basis
• In contrast to the cognitive approach that sees mental processes separate from the physical brain

Question 2

What is Neurochemistry?

Answer 2

The action of chemicals in the brain

Question 3

What is the neurochemical basis of behaviour?

Answer 3

• The belief that much of our thought and behaviour relies on chemical transmissions in the brain
• Occurs using neurotransmitters

Question 4

What’s a possible result of an imbalance of neurochemicals in the brain?

Answer 4

Mental disorders
Example:
- low levels of serotonin in OCD
- overproduction of dopamine in schizophrenia

Question 5

What is the genetic basis of behaviour?

Answer 5

• psychological characteristics (e.g. intelligence) are inherited in the same way as height or eye colour

Question 6

What is used to investigate whether certain physiological characteristics have a genetic basis? And how is this achieved?

Answer 6

Twin studies

Achieved by analysing concordance rates - the extent to which twins share the same characteristic

Question 7

If a characteristic is genetic what would we expect identical twins to be?

Answer 7

The (monozygotic) identical twins would be concordant.
- they share 100% of the same DNA

Question 8

what % of characteristics do… non-identical twins share?

Answer 8

The (dizygotic) non-identical twins would share about 50% of the same genes.

Question 9

What’s a Genotype?

Answer 9

The particular set of genes that a person possesses.

Question 10

What do identical twins have?

Answer 10

The same genes but different phenotypes

Question 11

What’s a Phenotype?

Answer 11

The characteristics of an individual determined by both genes and the environment.

Question 12

What do biological psychologists believe about human behaviour?

Answer 12

That much of human behaviour depends upon an interaction between inherited factors (nature) and the environment (nurture)

Question 13

Who proposed the theory of evolution, and what was the theory called?

Answer 13

Charles Darwin - Theory of natural selection

Question 14

What is the ‘Theory of natural selection’?

Answer 14

Any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individuals survival (and reproduction) will continue in future generations

Question 15

What is an example for the ‘Theory of natural selection’?

Answer 15

• giraffe is born with a longer neck (genetic characteristic)
• so can reach the higher trees for food
• other giraffes with shorter necks can’t compete for food so therefore die
• giraffe with longer neck reproduces and passes on this inherited characteristics to its offspring
• overtime, this inherited characteristic will pass on to generations and majority of giraffes with have longer necks

Question 16

In nature how does this ‘selection’ happen?

Answer 16

Naturally

Question 17

EVALUATION: Strength of biological approach + CA (PEEL)

Answer 17

POINT: Real-world application

EVIDENCE:
- increased understanding of neurochemical processes in the brain= use of psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders
- e.g. Promoted treatment of clinical depression= antidepressant drugs that increase levels of serotonin at synapse in brain

EXPLAIN:
- These drugs have been associated with the reduction of depressive symptoms

LINK:
- means people with depression may be better able to manage their condition & live better lives

CA

POINT: These drugs do not work for everyone

EVIDENCE:
- recent study concluded that effects of antidepressants, in general, were ‘mainly modest’

EXPLAIN:
- suggests that brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases of depression

LINK: Challenges value of biological approach

Question 18

EVALUATION: Strength of biological approach (PEEL)

Answer 18

POINT: Uses scientific methods of investigation

EVIDENCE:
- In order to investigate the genetic and biological basis of behaviour= range of precise, highly objective methods
- E.G. scanning techniques like fMRIs & EEGs

EXPLAIN:
Advances in technology= possible to measure psychological & neural processes in ways not open to bias

LINK: Much of biological approach based on objective & reliable data

Question 19

EVALUATION: Limitation of biological approach

Answer 19

POINT: Biological determinism

EVIDENCE:
- sees human behaviour as governed by internal, genetic causes
- which we cannot control

EXPLAIN:

LINK: The biological view is often too simplistic amd ignores the mediating effects of the environment