biological approach assumptions, explaining behaviour

Question 1

what is assumption 1 of the biological approach?

Answer 1

evolutionary influences

Question 2

what does to evolve mean?

Answer 2

to change with time

Question 3

what does evolution explain?

Answer 3

how the human mind and behaviour has changed over time in order to ADAPT to the demands of an individuals environment

Question 4

what is natural selection theory?

Answer 4

any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individuals chance of survival and reproduction will be naturally selected

Question 5

when does natural selection occur and what’s an example of this?

Answer 5

at the level of any gene, e.g. altrustic behaviour which is where parents risk their lives to save their offspring

Question 7

what would the theory of natural selection say about the trait of altruism?

Answer 7

that altruism is an adapted, inherited behaviour as saving ones offspring enhances the chance of survival of ones gene pool

Question 8

what does EEA sand for and what is it?

Answer 8

the environment of evolutionary adaptiveness, the environment to which any species if adapted

Question 9

what do evolutionary psychologists assume?

Answer 9

they don’t assume all forms of behaviour are adaptive only the ones that will ensure the the survival in that individuals particular environment

Question 10

what is assumption 2 of the biological approach?

Answer 10

localisation of brain function

Question 11

what does the localisation of brain function stand for?

Answer 11

that certain areas of the brain are responsible for certain functions

Question 12

where does the cerebral cortex sit in the brain and what is it responsible for?

Answer 12

the cerebral cortex covers the brain like a tea cosy covers a tea pot, its responsible for higher order cognitive functions

Question 13

what four regions are the cerebral cortex split into?

Answer 13

frontal lobe, pariteal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe- each lobe has specific functions

Question 14

what is the function of the frontal lobe?

Answer 14

is involved in thinking and creativity and linked to our personalities

Question 15

what is the function of the parietal lobe?

Answer 15

it receives sensory information such as temperature, touch and pain

Question 16

what is the function of the temporal lobe?

Answer 16

responsible for memory processing and processing auditory information such as speech

Question 17

what is the function of the occipital lobe?

Answer 17

concerned with visual processing and receives information directly from the eyes

Question 18

how are the lobes positioned in the brain?

Answer 18

f P/T o

Question 19

what is assumption 3 of the biological approach?

Answer 19

Neurontransmitters

Question 20

what are neurons?

Answer 20

electrically excitable cells that form the basis of the neuron system

Question 21

what are at the end of neurons and what do these do?

Answer 21

branches that are called dendrites, these mean that all the neurons can connect to one another

Question 22

where does a neuron communicate with another?

Answer 22

at a synapse

Question 23

what happens at a synapse?

Answer 23

a neuron communicates with another neuron and the message is relayed by chemical messengers (neurontransmitters)

Question 24

what are chemical messengers also known as?

Answer 24

neurontransmitters

Question 25

where are the neurontransmitters released from and what do they do?

Answer 25

there released from presynaptic vesicles in one neuron and they either inhibit or stimulate receptors in the other neuron

Question 26

how big is the synaptic cleft/gap?

Answer 26

20 nanometres wide

Question 27

what is serotonin linked with? what does too little serotonin cause?

Answer 27

mood, sleep and appetite, too little serotonin can cause depression

Question 28

how do antidepressant medications work?

Answer 28

by increasing the availability of serotonin at the postsynaptic receptor sites

Question 29

what has high levels of dopamine been linked with?

Answer 29

schizophrenia

Question 30

what would a drug that blocks dopamine activity achieve?

Answer 30

the reduction of schizophrenia symptoms

Question 31

what is the physiological approach in explaining behaviours?

Answer 31

the approach believes all behaviour is due to internal body parts e.g. brain, hormones, nervous system and chemicals

Question 32

what is the nativist approach in explaining behaviours?

Answer 32

the assumption that all behaviour is inherited, behaviour is passed through our genes from one generation to the next

Question 33

what is the medial model in terms of explaining behaviour?

Answer 33

the idea that psychological disorders have a physical cause and therefore can be dealt with by using physical methods