The Biological Approach

Question 1

Assumptions of the biological approach

Answer 1

All behaviour is driven by physical factors
Genetic factors, biological structures and neurochemistry seem to drive all behaviour
Emphasises nature in shaping behaviour
Most scientific of the approaches

Question 2

Natural selection

Answer 2

Living organisms adapt and change
Inherited characteristics that enhance survival are passed onto the next generation

Question 3

Adaptive

Answer 3

Type of behaviour used to adjust to another type of behaviour or situation
Increase chance of survival by being advantageous to environment

Question 4

Why is forgetting considered adaptive

Answer 4

repressing memories is advantageous
Remembering everything - cognitive overload

Question 5

Genotype

Answer 5

Genetic construction of an individual

Question 6

Phenotype

Answer 6

Observable characteristics of an individual
Morphological or biochemical features and the presence or absence of diseases
Result of genetic material interacting with environment to establish a behaviour

Question 7

PKU

Answer 7

Rare genetic disorder that can be detected in babies through heel prick test
If left unchecked - severe learning difficulties if carry genotype
Detected early enough - placed on restricted diet - avoid high protein - develop normally

Question 8

Nedstadt twin studies - OCD

Answer 8

Found concordance rate of 67% for monozygotic twins but only 31% for dizygotic twins
Closer genetic relationship to a sufferer - greater risk of developing OCD

Question 9

Raine study

Answer 9

Found that findings from animal studies into aggression can be generalised to humans and there is a link between brain structure and organisation
Used PET scans to identify several areas of murderers brains as significantly different to the matched control
Reduced brain activity in the pre frontal cortex , amygdala and hippocampus
Abnormal asymmetries - reduced activity on the left and greater activity on the right

Question 10

Broca’s area

Answer 10

-controls speech and language production
-dominant in the frontal lobe

Question 11

Wernickes area

Answer 11

-language comprehension
-contains motor neurons
-upper temporal lobe

Question 12

Brain plasticity example

Answer 12

Maguire study - London taxi drivers - matched control group - MRI - more grey matter in prosterior hippocampus - spatial tasks

Question 13

Role of GABA

Answer 13

Responsible for the body’s receptor to behaviour , cognition and response to stress

Question 14

Role of adrenaline

Answer 14

Fight or fight response
Long term stress adaptation and emotional memory encoding

Question 15

Role of serotonin

Answer 15

Implicated in the development of ocd
Ovaries negatively with anti social behaviours such as aggression and social isolation