Biological Approach to Psychopathology Flashcards
One assumption of the biological approach is that physical changes to brain function lead to abnormality. Give 2 examples of this.
- Changes to neuroanatomy (the structure of the brain) may lead to abnormality. E.g - Anorexia has been linked to a damaged hypothalamus.
- Changes to neurochemistry (brain chemistry) such as fluctuations in hormones and neurotransmitters may lead to psychopathology. E.g - low levels of serotonin have been linked to depression.
One assumption of the biological approach is that abnormality is inherited. Explain this using an example of studies that are carried out to prove this.
Abnormal genes are inherited, though they may not be present in every generation. Family, adoption and twin studies have been used to develop concordance rates to test for genetic predispositions as an explanation for abnormality.
What are concordance rates?
A percentage that shows the extent to which members of the same family are likely to share the same characteristic/mental illness.
Give 2 strengths of the biological model.
- Brain scans and other modern technologies can be used to provide support for the ideas in the biological model.
- It has contributed greatly to the making of effective treatments for mental health problems, such as SSRIs.
Give 2 limitations of the biological model.
- The model is reductionist. It tries to explain psychological disorders by breaking them down to a basic level of only biological problems with the brain, so it fails to take environmental influences into account. Depression can be linked to low serotonin, but it can also be linked to environmental stress.
- No psychological disorder is purely genetic. Concordance rates are never 100%. It is likely that individuals inherit a possibility of developing a psychological disorder but the disorder only develops when the individual is exposed to stressful life conditions. This is called the diathesis stress model.
