Biological Approach (AO1)

Question 1

Key Ideas?

Answer 1

• 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

Question 2

The Influence of Genes + Biological Structures

Answer 2

• 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

Question 3

Genotypes?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Phenotypes?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

The Influence of Neurochemistry + Hormones?

Answer 5

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

Question 5

Evolution + Behaviour?

Answer 5

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