Evaluating the Biological approach Flashcards
One strength of the biological approach is…
P- It has led to many successful real world applications.
E- For example, Cherek at al (2002) showed that males with conducts disorder and criminal behaviour had reduced levels of aggression and impulsivity after a 21 day course of an SSRI antidepressant compared to a control group taking placebos.
E- This is a strength because the approach has helped people better manage their conditions and live a relatively normal life.
Another strength of the biological approach is…
P- Because biological explanations have clear variables that can be objectively measured, tracked and examined, it means that psychologists can use scientific methods of investigation.
E- For example, Raine et al used PET scans to compare 14 areas of the brain in murderers pleading NGRI compared with non-murderers. This means he could accurately measure physiological and neural processes in a way that was not open to bias.
E- This is a strength because it means that much of the biological approach is based on objective and reliable data.
One weakness of the biological approach is…
P- It is biologically reductionist, reducing complex behaviours to a set of biological explanations.
E- For example, mental illness (such as schizophrenia) is known to have many causes. However, the biological approach is concerned with abnormal levels of neurotransmitters (nature) and tends to ignore life experiences (nurture) that also play a role here.
E- This is a weakness because the approach can ignore experience that goes along with any behaviour. This is especially relevant when considering mental illness, and therefore at best is an incomplete explanation.
Another weakness of the biological approach is…
P- It often focuses on few individuals and assumes that everyone’s biological systems behave in the same way. It’s a nomothetic approach meaning it looks to make generalisations about people and find similarities.
E- For example, research on biological systems and responses, such as the fight of light response, has tended to use more male over female participants as female hormone cycles may interfere with biological responses. This can produce invalid research.
E- This is a weakness because it shows that the approach can ignore differences between individuals.
