Biological Approach (approaches) Flashcards
Key assumptions
There is a direct correlation between brain activity and cognition
Biochemical imbalances can affect behaviour
Brain physiology can affect behaviour
Behaviour can be inherited (as it is determined buy genetic information)
What is a genotype?
The genetic makeup of an individual e.g. eye colour
A combination of inherited genetic material from both parents
What is a hormone?
Chemicals produced by endocrine glands, which cause a physiological reaction in cells e.g. testostrone
What is a gene?
A part of a chromosome of an organism carrying inheritable information
What is natural selection?
The process by which characteristics which enhance reproductive success and/or survival are passed down, thus becoming more widespread in the population
What is a phenotype?
The observable characteristics of an individual. May differ from genotype due to interaction with the environment
What is a neurotransmitter?
Chemical messengers which can stimulate or calm or brain. Common examples are dopamine and serotinin
What is heredity?
The passing of characteristics from one generation to the next via genes
What is neurochemistry?
The amount of neurotransmitters produced and the way they are used
What is a concordance rate?
The presence of the same trait in both members of a pair of twins
What are monozygotic twins?
They share the same genetic material
What are dizygotic twins?
They share 50% of the same genetic material
McGuffin
46% concordance in MZ twins
20% concordance in DZ twins
Evaluation
Biological psychologists view humans as biological organisms
Traits and behaviour have a biological basis
Animals that are biologically similar to humans are valid subjects to study
Behaviour is determined by biological processes
Genetics and neurochemistry
Psychology is a science and should focus on objective and replicable processes
Biological psychologists use the scientific method
Gene variants
Each variant of a gene can be associated with normal or abnormal biological activity, and so some gene variants have been linked with mental disorders
Genes are inherited from biological parents so these variants get passed down through families (however, due to mutation, sometimes these variants occur without parents having them)