Biological Psychology Flashcards
Describe the biological psychology perspective on behaviour.
Biological psychology analyses behaviour and mental processes by investigating genetics, neurotransmitters, brain structure, and other biological factors.
What is the relationship between biological psychology and mental disorders?
Biological psychology examines how behaviour and mental disorders can result from psychological disorders influenced by biological factors.
How does the biological approach explain the fear response?
The biological approach explains the fear response as a reaction that leads to fight, flight, or freeze behaviours, influenced by an individual’s biological makeup.
Define the fight or flight response in biological psychology.
The fight or flight response is a biological predisposition to react to stressors with specific behaviours, triggered by the release of stress hormones.
Explain the significance of genetic inheritance in biological psychology.
Genetic inheritance is considered a key factor in understanding human behaviour, as it influences an individual’s psychological processes and actions.
Describe the connection between the biological approach and the evolutionary perspective.
The biological approach is closely related to the evolutionary perspective, as it examines how biological structures and functions have evolved to influence behaviour.
How does biological psychology view the relationship between biology and behaviour?
Biological psychology posits that thoughts and behaviour are determined by biological structures, such as neurons, brain regions, neurotransmitters, and genes.
Define biopsychology.
Biopsychology is the overlap of biology and psychology, studying how biological factors influence behaviour.
What assumptions does the biological perspective make about behaviour?
The biological perspective assumes that genes determine behaviour, brain functions are localized, and neurochemicals are the basis of behaviour.
Explain the biological approach’s view on inheritance of traits.
The biological approach assumes that traits and behaviours can be inherited from parents, suggesting that these traits are passed down for survival in the natural environment.
What are the strengths of biological psychology?
Biological psychology can provide objective scientific and biological evidence through the use of advanced technology.
Identify the limitations of biological psychology
Biological psychology may oversimplify human behaviour and physiology, as external factors can also impact behaviour, and a single biological treatment may not be sufficient.
Describe how the reliability and validity of research in the biological approach are enhanced.
The reliability and validity of research in the biological approach increase with the constant accumulation of scientific evidence.
Explain the role of EEGs and fMRI machines in biological research.
EEGs analyse sleep/wake cycles, while fMRI machines highlight areas of the brain being used during specific actions.
Discuss the implications of determinism in the biological approach.
The determinism concept questions whether individuals can be accountable for their behaviour if it is determined by their genetics and biology, prompting discussions on free will.
Identify a criticism of the biological approach.
The biological approach is criticized for not taking into account individual differences among people.
How do correlation and causation differ in scientific research?
Distinguishing between correlation and causation poses challenges in scientific research.
What is the Localisation of Function Theory in Biological Psychology?
The Localisation of Function Theory is the idea that specific areas of the brain are responsible for specific mental functions, processes, and behaviours, proposed by Paul Broca and Carl Wernicke in the 19th century.
What did Broca and Wernicke discover about the brain?
Broca and Wernicke discovered that specific areas of the brain are responsible for language production (Broca’s area) and comprehension (Wernicke’s area).
What is contralateral control in the context of brain hemispheres?
Contralateral control refers to the phenomenon where the left hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body, and the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body.
What are the four lobes of the brain’s cortex?
The four lobes of the brain’s cortex are the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the occipital lobe, and the temporal lobe.
What is the primary function of Broca’s area?
Broca’s area, located in the left frontal lobe, is primarily responsible for language production and speech.
What is Broca’s aphasia?
Broca’s aphasia is a condition characterized by slow speech that lacks fluency, resulting from damage to Broca’s area.
Where is Wernicke’s area located, and what is its primary function?
Wernicke’s area is located in the posterior part of the temporal lobe and is primarily responsible for language comprehension and understanding.
