Overview Flashcards
What are the assumptions of the biological approach?
1- all that is psychological was once physiological
2- much behaviour has a genetic basis
What is the assumption that all that was once psychological was once physiological explained?
that the mind resides in the brain so all thoughts, feelings, and behaviour have a biological cause
What is the assumption that behaviour is due to genetics, hormones, and brain structure explained?
behaviour is due to biological factors such as: brain structure, hormones, and genetics
What are the methods used by the biological approach?
1- lab experiments (need for scientific equipment)
2- twin and adoption studies (concordance)
What does the biological approach suggest?
that behavioural characteristics (e.g., personality) are inherited
What is concordance?
how much people agree
What are the two types of twins?
monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (non-identical)
How much of the same DNA do the two types of twins share?
mono = 100%
di = 50%
What are twin studies used for?
to see if behaviour has a genetic basis
What are adoption studies used for?
to see the likelihood of behaviour having a genetic cause
How do adoption studies work?
if twins are adopted into different families and environments at birth yet still behave in the same or similar ways it is likely because behaviour is a result of genetics
What type of twins are likely to have higher concordance rates?
monozygotic twins
What part of the brain is looked at within someone who has schizophrenia?
ventricles - those with schizophrenia tend to have enlarged ventricles
What is neuroanatomy?
the structure of the brain
What part of the brain is responsible for personality?
pre-frontal cortex (frontal lobe)
What part of the brain is responsible for aggression?
- amygdala
- hypothalamus
What part of the brain is responsible for memory and spacial navigation?
hippocampus
What part of the brain is responsible for sleep?
hypothalamus
What part of the brain is responsible for emotions?
amygdala
What chemical is associated with depression and OCD?
serotonin
high in OCD
low in depression
What chemical is associated with addiction and schizophrenia?
dopamine
high in addiction
high in schizophrenia
What chemical is associated with aggression?
testosterone
high = high aggression
What chemical is associated with stress?
cortisol
high = high stress
What chemical associated with SAD?
melatonin
high = SAD
How is brain activity different between someone who has depression to someone who does not have depression?
- lower activity
- blue (in colour scans) rather than red/orange
What type of treatment is often used biological disorders?
drug therapy
What are the drugs that change the way a person thinks or behaves called?
psychoactive drugs
What are the 4 main types of psychoactive drugs?
- anti-psychotics
- anti-depressants
- anti-anxiety drugs
- anti-mania drugs
What are anti-psychotics used to treat?
schizophrenia
What are anti-depressants used to treat?
depression
What are anti-anxiety drugs used to treat?
anxiety
What are anti-mania drugs used to treat?
bipolar disorder
What are the criticisms of the biological approach?
- reductionist (oversimplifies complex ideas)
- nature (vs. nurture)
- deterministic - suggests we have no free will over our behaviour
