biological approach questions from book

Question 1

Issues with drug therapy

Answer 1

many p[eople are not helped by these drugs and even if they are it doesn’t indicate neurochemistry is the cause

Question 2

Higher concordance for dizygotic/non-identical twins than ordinary siblings suggests the importance of

Answer 2

enviormental influence

Question 3

Phenotype

Answer 3

The characteristics of a person determined by genes and the environment

Question 4

Genotype -

Answer 4

The particular set of genes that a person possesses

Question 5

Neurochemistry

Answer 5

Relating to chemicals in the brain that regulate psychological functioning

Question 6

Biological structure

Answer 6

An arrangement or organisation of parts to form an organ, system or living thing.

Question 7

Explain one way psychologists investigate the genetic basis of behaviour. (3 marks)

Answer 7

They do this by using twin studies to investigate whether certain psychological characterisers have a genetic basis.

This is achevived by analysing concordance rates. If a characteristic is genetic we expect all identical twins to be concordant. Where as the same would not be true for non identical twins.

In both cases the environment is assumed to be constant

Question 8

Identify and discuss one limitation of the biological approach in psychology.

Answer 8

one limitation of the biological approach is that it is deterministic this is down to the fact that it believes that we are governed by genetic factors and without considering the effects of social factors .

We have already seen the way in which an individuals genotype is expressed is heavily influenced by the environment. Even identical twins that share the same genes don’t look the same way or act the same way.

This suggest that the biological view is often too simplistic and ignores the mediating effect of the environment

Question 9

Outline two limitations of the biological approach in psychology.

Answer 9

one limitation of the biological approach is that it is deterministic this is down to the fact that it believes that we are governed by genetic factors which we have no control over and does not take into account social factors

Another limitations of the biological appoach is that it says that neurochemistry is the basis of behaviour but there has been issues with drug therapies and many people are not helped by these drugs and even if they are it doesn’t indicate neurochemistry is the cause

Question 10

Outline one difference and one similarity between the biological approach and the behaviourist approach. (2 marks + 2 marks

Answer 10

They are similar in way that they both use scientific lab experiments and the use of animals as a method of research.

They differ in the fact bevoruism uses the nuture debate that all behaviour is learnt through stimulus response connection and reinforment while

the biological uses the nature debate that behaviour is controlled by biological structures and process such as genes, biochemistry, evolutionary adaptation.