Biological Approach

Question 1

What does the biological approach assume?

Answer 1

Behaviour is the result of physical causes

Question 2

Why do genetics is thought to be causes of some behavior demonstrating in family studies suggesting an inherited predisposition?

Answer 2

Heredity link

Passing of characteristics from one generation through next through genes

Question 3

Why are twins useful in the biological basis of behavior?

Answer 3

• Share some or all of genes and raised in same enivnroment
• commonly used to investigate health effects of certain habits like smoking

Question 4

Why is MZ more likely to have similar personalities/behaviors?

Answer 4

• They are developed from a single fertilised egg
• So they are genetically identical -identical genes and almost identical envirnoment

Question 5

Explain why twin studies are used to investigate the genetic basis of behavior?

Answer 5

• Concordance rates between twins are calculated -extent at which twins share same characteristics
• Higher concordance rates among identical MZ twins than DZ twins is evidence for a genetic basis
  
  • e.g MZ twins both have OCD 68% compared to DZ twins 31% (Nestadt et al, 2010)

Question 6

What is the nature vs nurture debate?

Answer 6

• Nature refers to human traits that is biologically through parents (cannot be changed/altered)
• Nurture (environment) is the impact of an individual’s family, education and upbringing

Debates comes along with the relative contribution of genes due to either one of this

Question 7

What is genotype?

Answer 7

Unique genetic code comprises an individual’s DNA

Question 8

What is phenotype?

Answer 8

Physical expression of the genotype

Question 9

Rita and Holly are identical twins, who were separated at birth. When they finally meet each other at the age of 35, they were surprised at how different their personalities were. Rita is much more social and out-going than Holly

Use your knowledge of genotype and phenotype to explain this difference in their personalities

Answer 9

Holly and Rita have identical genotype as they are MZ twins.

• They have the predisposition to develop the same personalities as each other unless another factor(s) intervenes.
• For them to have developed different personalities over time, this must have been influenced by being in different environments.
• Their phenotypes – personalities achieved – are different,

Question 10

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 10

Chemicals that carry signals between brain cells

Question 11

The influence of neurochemistry on behavior

How do new impulses travel?

Answer 11

They travel between neurons via synapse by means of neurotransmitters

Some are excitatory (e.g dopamine) and others inhibitory (e.g serotonin)

explains the change in behavior having too much or too little neurotransmitters

e.g low levels of serotonin in OCD - SERT GENE

Question 12

The influence of neurochemistry on behavior

Explain hormones

Answer 12

Hormones are chemical produced by glands (e.g pituitary glands) comprising the endocrine system

Brain signals glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream and stimulate receptors on ‘target cells’ to alter their activity

Question 13

Explain evolution and behavior

Answer 13

Darwin argued that individuals who have physical and behavioural characteristics that enable them to survive and reproduce pass them to next generation​

Through this process of evolution by natural selection, successive generations become better adapted to their envirnoment

Question 14

How can brain structures and changes in the nervous system clearly show significant physical changes which alter people’s behavior?

Show examples

Answer 14

Brain Scans

• 3-year old suffering from neglect method then the brain is severely underdeveloped compared to normal brain. May suffer from the development of speech or stunt growth (emotional neglect) by psychological dwarfism
• Sufferers of depression showing fewer areas of the brain active - effect neurotransmitters to send less chemical signals

Question 15

Strength: Approach of its use of scientific methods of investigating

Answer 15

• In order to investigate the genetic and biological basis of the approach makes use of a range of precise and highly scientific methods
• Scanning techniques e.g fMRI and drug trials. It is possible to accurately measure biological and neutral processes in ways that are not open to bias
• Means that approach based on reliable data

Question 16

Strength of biological approach: Application to real-life

Answer 16

• Increased understanding of biochemical processes in brain has led to the development of psychoactive drugs that treat serious mental disorders e.g depression
• Although these drugs are not effective for all paitents, revolutionised treatment for all
• Strength as aproach means sufferers are able to live relatively normal life compared to hospital

Question 17

Limitation of the biological approach: Based on determinist view of behaviour

Answer 17

• Determinist in sees human behaviour as governed by internal biological causes over which we have no control.
• However, this is at odds with legal system which sees offenders as responsible for their actions. The discovery of ‘criminal gene’ may complicate this principle.
• Such research have (possibly negative) implications for wider society as criminals may be able to excuse their behaviour

Question 18

Limitation of the biological approach: the methodological problem is the difficulty of separating nature and nurture

Answer 18

• Identical twins and non-identical twins and members of the same family all have genetic similarities, so any similarity in the way we behave must be genetic from a biological perspective
• However, the fact that family members are exposed to similar environmental conditions is an important confounding variable
• Problem for approach because findings could just be easily interpreted as supporting nurture than nature