the biological approach Flashcards
assumptions of the biological approach
- All behaviour has a biological basis
- Our minds live in our brains
- Brings physiology and psychology back together
approaches the biological approach opposes
- the behaviourist approach (behaviour is learnt vs from biology)
- humanist approach (rejects science vs scientific)
- the cognitive approach (soft vs hard determinism)
heredity
the passing of characteristics from one generation to the next through genes
hereditary
the idea that a particular trait (eg. illness) has been passed on
genes
carry instructions for a particular characteristic (eg. temperament, etc)
how characteristics are presented is based on…
- interaction with other genes
- interaction with the environment
genotype
genetic code that is ‘written’ in the DNA of the individuals’ cells
phenotype
the physical appearance that results from this inherited information
- different in identical twins due to environmental factors
dominant gene
produces a dominant phenotype in individuals who have one copy of the gene which can come from just one parent
recessive gene
to produce a recessive phenotype, the individual must have two copies, one from each parents
monozygotic twins
- share 100% of their DNA
- environment can still affect appearance/phenotypes (diet, exercise, etc)
dizygotic twins
- 50% of their genes are the same
explanation of abnormal behaviour in the biological approach
- hormones
- genes
- neurotransmitters
treatment of abnormal behaviour in the biological approach
drug therapy
concordance rates
- the likelihood that a person will develop a characteristic, trait, or disorder given that another already has it.
- often expressed as percentages