P2 Approaches 5. Biological Approach

Question 1

What are genes?

Answer 1

Genes carry the instructions for a particular characteristic, but how this characteristic develops depends partly on the interaction of the gene with other genes, and partly on the influence of the environment.

Question 2

What is a genotoype

Answer 2

The genotype is the genetic code that is written in the DNA of an individual cell

Question 3

What is a phenotype?

Answer 3

The phenotype is the physical appearance that results from the inherited information and other environmental factors.

Question 4

What systems is the nervous system comprised of?

Answer 4

• The Central Nervous System comprises the brain and spinal cord
• The Peripheral Nervous System comprises the somatic and autonomic nervous systems.

Question 5

What does the nervous system do?

Answer 5

• The nervous system carries messages from one part of the body to another using individual nerve cells known as neurons.
• Many aspects of behaviour are controlled by neurons, including: breathing, eating and sexual behaviour.

Question 6

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 6

Neurotransmitters are chemicals which travel from one neuron to the next across a junction called the synapse.

Question 7

What are the different types of neurotransmitters?

Answer 7

There are different types of neurotransmitters, some of which trigger an impulse (excitatory) and some of which stop an impulse from firing (inhibitory).
1. Dopamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter that is associated with our “drive” and motivation
2. Serotonin is an inhibitory transmitter, adequate amounts of which are necessary to maintain a stable mood.

Question 8

What are hormones?

Answer 8

Hormones are chemicals that are produced by endocrine glands such as pituitary glands which together make up the endocrine system

Question 9

What do hormones do?

Answer 9

In response to a signal from the brain, hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands, where they travel to their “target cells” and exert their influence by stimulating receptors on the surface of or inside cells

Question 10

Strengths of the biological approach:

Answer 10

• Use of scientific methods (it uses experimental methods as its main method of investigation which makes it more reliable)
• It provides clear predictions (research into neurochemical imbalances has led to the development of drug treatments)

Question 11

What is reductionism?

Answer 11

Reductionism is the view that human behaviour can be explained by breaking it into it’s smallest fundamental components such as genes, neurotransmitters and hormones

Question 12

Limitations of biological approach:

Answer 12

• It is reductionist ( it ignores other factors that influence our behaviours )
• It’s a problem in explaining evolutionary behaviours (behaviours can also be transmitted by both genetics and cultural routes)
• The danger of genetic explanations ( in terms of crime discrimination against people who have crime in the family )