jones - the biological approach

Question 1

What is the assumption of the biological approach?

Answer 1

Our thoughts, feelings and behaviour all have a physical basis and so can be linked to factors such as genes, evolution, biological structures such as the brain and its associated biological processes

Question 2

What has research into identical twins show about phobias?

Answer 2

Twins are more likely to gain phobias dispute being raised separately

Question 3

How many genes have been found that are related to anxiety disorders?

Answer 3

17

Question 4

What are the three main assumptions of the biological approach?

Answer 4

behaviours can be explained…
1. by different parts of the brain
2. by neurotransmitters
3. in terms of hormones

Question 5

Why is it a good thing that the biological approach is scientific?

Answer 5

• reliable as variables are controlled
• can be replicated to test validity

Question 6

What other strengths are there of the biological approach?

Answer 6

• successful real life applications
• adaptations from other reseachers

Question 7

Why has the biological approach be criticised for being too simplistic?

Answer 7

• favours nature over nurture
• cannot be generalised
• assumes that everyone acts the same ignoring the fact that everyone is unique

Question 8

What are genes?

Answer 8

units of inheritance

Question 9

What do genes exist as?

Answer 9

pairs of chromosomes (23 pairs)

Question 10

Where are genes found?

Answer 10

nucleus of every cell of the body

Question 11

What do biological psychologists argue that genes determine?

Answer 11

1. physical characteristics (eg. eye colour)
2. psychological characteristics (eg. intelligence, personality, psychological disorders like depression and schizophrenia)

Question 12

What is concordance rate?

Answer 12

Statistical measure used to describe the amount of similarities in characteristics

Question 13

Why are psychologists interested in studying twins?

Answer 13

To investigate the genetic basis of behaviour

Question 14

What is a zygote?

Answer 14

A fertilised cell

Question 15

What are monozygotic cells?

Answer 15

one zygote - these twins are formed when a fertilised cell splits into two and forms two separate embryos

Question 16

How genetically identical are mz twins?

Answer 16

100% of their genes are identical

Question 17

What are dizygotic cells?

Answer 17

two zygotes - these twins are formed when two separate eggs both become fertilised by different sperm cells

Question 18

How genetically identical are dz twins?

Answer 18

50% of their genes are identical
-> no more genetically alike than ordinary siblings

Question 19

What are research using twin studies looking for?

Answer 19

the degree of concordance (or similarity) between mz and dz twins as it is a quantitative measure of similarity
-> twins are said to be concordant for a certain trait (eg. learning difficulties) if both of them exhibit the trait of neither of them exhibit the trait
-> if they are discordant, one of the twins will show the trait and the other will not
-> if mz twins show a higher percentage concordance than dz twins, it serves as evidence for the heritability of that trait

Question 20

What does the concordance of twins show about the genetic basis of behaviour?

Answer 20

It shows a higher concordance rate for monozygotic than dizygotic twins
-> blood types and eye colour are almost 100% which shows that these are completely genetic as monozygotic share 100% of the same genes

Question 21

What are the results of Gottesman’s twin study?

Answer 21

concordance for schizophrenia with the mz twins is 48% whereas concordance for dz twins is 17%
-> if both parents are schizophrenic, the chances are 46% that their child will develop the disorder

Question 22

What does the data of Gottesman’s twin study suugest?

Answer 22

Schizophrenia has a high heritability rate

Question 23

What are some strengths of twin studies?

Answer 23

Twins are an example of a naturally occuring variable
-> mz twins share 100% of their genes and dz twins share 50% of their genes
-> researchers arent manipulating this variable themselves reducing the risk of researcher bias

Question 24

What are some limitations of twin studies?

Answer 24

• the higher concordance rates in mz twins could just be because of the environment
  -> mz twins may be treated in similar ways and have similar environmental influences like friends
  -> hence, the cause might not be biological reasons
• twin studies might not be very representative of other children
  -> twins are very rare (1.5% of births) and monozygotic twins are even rarer (0.5%)
  -> there might also be other unusual features of mz twins besides the genetic similarities

Question 25

What is a genotype?

Answer 25

The genetic makeup of a person

Question 26

What is an example of genotype?

Answer 26

hair colour when born

Question 27

What is a phenotype?

Answer 27

An individual's actual behavioural and physical characteristics

Question 28

What are phenotypes determined by?

Answer 28

genotype + environment

Question 29

What is an example of phenotype?

Answer 29

dying hair in colour different from original

Question 30

What is neurochemistry?

Answer 30

action of chemicals in the brain

Question 31

What do neurotransmitters do?

Answer 31

transmit messages

Question 32

What might imbalance of neurotransmitters cause?

Answer 32

mental disorders

Question 33

How is OCD caused?

Answer 33

too little serotonin

Question 34

How is depression caused?

Answer 34

too little serotonin

Question 35

How is anxiety caused?

Answer 35

too little serotonin and GABA

Question 36

How is schizophrenia caused?

Answer 36

too much popamine and glutamate

Question 37

How is bipolar caused?

Answer 37

too little norepinephrine and serotonin but too much dopamine

Question 38

What effect does the prefrontal cortex have on behaviour?

Answer 38

Part of the brain that plays a vital role in many functions (eg. decision making, personality and emotional regulation)

Question 39

What effect does the amygdala have on behaviour?

Answer 39

primarily involved in the processing of emotions and memories associated with fear or strong emotions like pleasure

Question 40

What effect does the hippocampus have on behaviour?

Answer 40

important role in the consolidation of information from short term to long term in spatial memory

Question 41

What is biopsychology?

Answer 41

- focuses on the influence of biological structures on behaviour - branch of psychology that studies how the brain, neurotransmitters, genes, and other aspects of our biology affect our behaviour, thoughts and feelings,

Question 42

What can biological structures control?

Answer 42

different brain functions (eg. memory, attachment, and emotions) that can explain our behaviour

Question 43

What the biological approach suggest?

Answer 43

some of our behaviours and characteristics are inherited or determined by our biology

Question 44

What is natural selection?

Answer 44

mechanism of evolution -> survival of the fittest involving the whole population

Question 45

What does natural selection ensure?

Answer 45

That only the traits that help a species survive and reproduce gets passed on to future generations

Question 46

What is survival of the fittest?

Answer 46

competition between two individual organisms

Question 47

What is evolution?

Answer 47

consequence of natural selection over thousands of years

Question 48

What theory did Charles Darwin propose?

Answer 48

Theory of evolution

Question 49

What is Darwin's theory of evolution?

Answer 49

explanation of how the changes in inherited characteristics in a biological population over successive generations

Question 50

What does Darwin say about humans evolving?

Answer 50

humans took six million to evolve from apes - physical and behavioural traits are originated from ape-like ancestors

Question 51

What does Darwin say about giraffes?

Answer 51

Giraffes were not born with long necks -> extra height gives the giraffe an advantage in obtaining food that wouldnt be available to those rivals with shorter necks

Question 52

What does Darwin say about animals and breeding?

Answer 52

The farmer selects the animal which possesses desirable characteristics for breeding -> eg. cows with a higher milk yield is chosen so better milk is produced

Question 53

What are some strengths of the biological behaviour?

Answer 53

+ uses a range of precise and highly scientific methods -> eg fMRIs and EEGs -> increases the accuracy as it is not open to bias + significant influence to the development of psychoactive drugs (eg. depression or schizophrenia) -> offers explanations for mental illnesses in terms of the action of neurotransmitters in the brain -> target specific candidate genes to directly treat the disorder or may alter neurotransmitter levels to help alleviate symptoms etc

Question 54

What are some limitations of the biological approach?

Answer 54

- deterministic -> the biological approach sees human behaviour as governed by internal and biological causes over which we have no control -> ignores the influence of cognitive processes (thinking of consequences) - discovering an association doesnt mean one is a cause -> studies show that a particular drug reduces the symptoms of a mental disorder so it is assumed that the neurochemical in the drug causes the disorder -> which is just a hypothesis with no proof