BIOLOGICAL PSYCH. APPROACH - Assumptions Flashcards
A1: Evolutionary influences
E: Human mind & behaviour - adapted over millions of years, meet demands of the environment & help us to survive.
Notion of adaptiveness - C.D, natural selection, idea any genetically determined behaviour that increases chance of indi. genes surviving, naturally selected, genes passed to offspring.
X: E.G research Buss (1989) - sample 10,000 33 countries, m + f romantically attracted w/ characteristics enhance chances of successful reproduction, m - young equated fertility, f - successful, resources for survival of offspring.
L: shows our behaviour driven by evolutionary drives, ensuring survival of our genes rather than conscious free will decisions.
A2: Localisation of brain function
E: brain divided into different areas - refers to idea that each of these different areas is responsible for a different function
each area, specific jobs
outer region, cerebral cortex - 4 lobes, frontal, occipital, temporal, parietal
established, case studies - experienced damage to specific areas of the brain, accident or damage.
X: E.G Phineas Gage (1848) - severe damage frontal lobe during accident on railway, survived w/ ability to speak, think & remember, personality changed greatly
polite - profane, unable to control sexual impulses, difficult to work w/ , concluded frontal controls personality high lvl thinking, planning, strat. formation
L: Demonstrates specific areas of brain control specific behaviours bcs when damaged only specific are altered
A3: Neurotransmitters
E: neurons - electrically excitable cells that form basis of our nervous system, communicate w/ each other via a synapse carried out by chemical messengers aka neurotransmitters
different neurotransmitters control different behaviours
serotonin - mood
dopamine - motivation & excitement
oxytocin - love & trust
X: Schneiderman, Leckman et al (2012)
new lovers much higher lvls, highest lvls. still together 6 months later
L: Illustrates how specific behaviours are controlled by specific neurotransmitters & differing lvls. determine differing behaviours
