Biological Approach (AO1) Flashcards

1
Q

Key Ideas?

A
  • everything psychological is at first biological
  • genes, neurochemistry, hormones = responsible for behaviour
  • as all behaviour has a physiological cause, it can be genetically or environmentally altered
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2
Q

The Influence of Genes + Biological Structures

A
  • genes carry instructions for a particular characteristic e.g. IQ
  • twin studies are often used to investigate the genetic basis of behaviour, using concordance rates
  • if a behaviour is genetic there’d be a higher concordance rate for monozygotic (MZ) twins than dizygotic (DZ) twins as they share more genes
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3
Q

Genotypes?

A

refers to genetic code in the DNA
determines the potential for a particular characteristic or behaviour to be shown

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4
Q

Phenotypes?

A

how that genetic code (genotype) is expressed in the environment
the actual observable characteristics of a person incl. their behaviour + physical appearance

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5
Q

The Influence of Neurochemistry + Hormones?

A

different types of neurotransmitter can affect our mood + behaviour

excitatory neurotransmitters like dopamine can make us feel driven + motivated
- whereas inhibitory neurotransmitters like serotonin can have more of a calming effect

hormones secreted into the bloodstream can have a direct physiological effect on their target cells
- like adrenaline readying the body for fight-or-flight

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5
Q

Evolution + Behaviour?

A

darwin’s theory of natural selection - how living things adapt to their environment + survival of the fittest

if a genetically-determined characteristic or behaviour is more likely to help an individual survive, that individual has more chance to reproduce + pass on the genes

e.g. attachment behaviours in newborn animals have an adaptive advantage for survival + so the genes coding for this behaviour get passed on

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