Biological Area Evaluation

Question 1

Principles of Biological Area

Answer 1

(focuses on biological causes for behaviour eg. genes, brain structure and brain activity)

one feature looks at genetic factors in behaviour
for example, genes can predispose people to mental disorders eg, depression (HSERT gene) or aggressive behaviour (MAOA gene)

another feature of biological area looks at brain activity
for example, the ability to delay gratification is linked to brain activity in inferior frontal gyrus + ventral striatum

Question 2

Similarities between Sperry and Casey

Answer 2

BOTH COLLECTED QUANTITAITVE DATA
casey = activity in inferior frontal gyrus + ventrak striatum of low+high delayers during go/no-go task

BOTH CONDUCTED IN USA

casey = participants took part in marshmellow test at stanford uni nursey

sperry = had surgery to cut corpus callosum for eplispey in USA

Question 3

differences between sperry and casey

Answer 3

LONGITUDNAL VS SNAPSHOT

casey = longitudinal following particpants tested at 4 (marshmellow), 20s(self control questionaire) then 30s in ability to delay gratification

sperry = snapshot as looked at communication between hemispheres of split-brain participants at one point in time

Question 4

similarities between B&C and Maguire

Answer 4

BOTH HAD STANDARDISED PROCEDURES
B&C - either H or V lines in a cylinder for 5 hours a day from 2 weeks to 5 months old
Maguire - pixel counting of MRI scans to measure hippocampal volume of taxi drivers vs non-taxi drivers

Question 5

differences between B&C and Maguire

Answer 5

RESEARCH METHOD
B&C = lab experiment (explain why)
Maguire = quasi experiment (explain why)

HUMAN VS KITTENS
B&C = 11 kittens to see whether being reared with V or H lines affect visual cortex
Maguire = 16 taxi drivers, 50 controls, to compare hippocampal volume

Question 6

Strengths of biological area

Answer 6

objective scientific measures
+ extraneous variables are highly controlled and cause + effect can be established

practical & useful applications
+ help develop drug treatments and help control issues e.g.. mental disorders

Question 7

Weakness of biological area

Answer 7

Lacks ecological validity
- high use of lab experiments
- may not apply to real life

Reductionist
- explain complex behaviour in terms of genes, brain structure etc.
- doesn’t consider how other factors interact together in influencing behaviour