The Biological Approach Flashcards
What is the biological approach to psychology?
views humans as biological organisms and so provides biological explanations for all aspects of psychological functioning
What are biological psychologists interested in?
the genetic basis of behaviour, showing how some characteristics can be passed from generation to generation through the genes
What is heredity?
the passing of characteristics from one generation to the next through genes
What do genes carry?
the instructions for a particular characteristic (e.g. intelligence)
How a characteristic, carried by a gene, develops depends on…
- the interaction of the gene with other genes
2. the influence of the environment
What is the nature vs nurture debate?
the extent to which a psychological characteristic is determined by genes or environment
What is the phenotype?
the physical appearance that results from the interaction of the genotype with the environment
How, and why, do we differ from one another?
our personality, intelligence, abilities - because we each possess a unique combination of genetic instructions
What is heritability?
refers to the amount of variability in a trait within a population that can be attributed to genetic differences between individuals within that population
The more that a trait is influenced by genetic factors, the _______ its heritability
greater
What is our nervous system compromised of?
- cental nervous system (CNS)
2. peripheral nervous system (PNS)
What is the CNS comprise of?
spinal cord and the brain
What is the PNS comprised of?
the somatic and automatic nervous systems
How does the nervous system carry one message from one part of the body to another?
using individual nerve cells - i.e. neurons
What do neurons do?
transmit nerve impulses in the form of electrical signals
Give examples of behaviour that is under neuronal control
breathing, eating and sexual behaviour
What is the largest part of the brain?
cerebrum
How much mass of the brain does the cerebrum take up?
85%
What is the outer surface of the cerebrum called?
cerebral cortex
What is the cerebral cortex responsible for?
responsible for many of the ‘higher-order’ functions, e.g. thought ad language
What is the cerebrum divided into?
2 hemispheres
What is each hemisphere divided into?
4 lobes