the biological approach

Question 1

What is evolution?

Answer 1

The process of natural selection ensures that a species characteristics, which provide a survival advantage, are passed from one generation to another.

Question 2

Example of evolution? From who?

Answer 2

Buss’s survey of heterosexual mate selection. Men preferred good looks, youth and chastity. Women preferred good financial prospects and dependability.

Question 3

What does Buss’s survery suggest?

Answer 3

Certain behaviors and traits have evolved in both males and females since they promote better prospects for passing on favorable genes.

Question 4

How are signals sent between the neurons at the synapse? What do inbalances of these lead to? (nuerochemistry)

Answer 4

Neurotransmitters (chemicals) - inbalances in the number of these are associated with atypical behaviour

Question 5

3 examples of:
Neurotransmitter > Function > Behaviour? (nuerochemistry)

Answer 5

Serotonin>mood regulation>OCD
Dopamine>reward>addiction
Adrenaline>stress>fight or flight

Question 6

What are the 4 brain structures and their functions?

Answer 6

Frontal lobe- motor area
Parietal lobe- somatosensory area (senses)
Temporal lobe- auditory area
Occipital lobe- visual area

Question 7

What’s a neurotransmitter?
Carrying messages from where?

Answer 7

Body’s chemical messengers, carrying messages from the presynaptic neuron>across to the synapse>to the postsynaptic neuron.

Question 8

Genes are passed from one … to the next. Genes carry info in the form of … which carry instructions for …? e.g.

Answer 8

Generation, DNA, characteristics, e.g. eye colour, intelligence.

Question 9

Define genotype. E.g…

Answer 9

Our genetic makeup, which is fixed from birth. E.g amount of melanin.

Question 10

Define phenotype. E.g…

Answer 10

Expression of their genes>observable characteristics of a person. Influenced the interaction of the gene with environment. E.g. exposure to sunlight.

Question 11

What type of twins share 100% of their DNA? In comparison to which 50% ones?

Answer 11

Monozygotic (MZ) twins = 100%
Dizygotic (DZ) twins = 50%

Question 12

What did McGuffin et al find? What does this suggest?

Answer 12

If one MZ twin has depression, there is a 46% chance that the other twin will also have depression. Suggests that there’s a genetic component to illnesses like depression.

Question 13

What does causation mean?

Answer 13

Change in one variable causes a change in another variable.

Question 14

What does correlation mean?

Answer 14

An association between two variables exist.

Question 15

Limitation of the biological approach? (What is the difference between causation and correlation) PET paragraph!

Answer 15

P: Causation is often strongly implied in explanations that focus on brain structures.
E: E.g. OCD=lack of serotonin in the synapse. Such research only tells us that there is an association between serotonin and OCD (cannot tell us that lack of serotonin causes OCD vv).
T: Biological explanations claim to have established causation when actually a correlation just exists.

Question 16

PET One strength of the biological approach? (How would the biological approach explain mental illness)

Answer 16

P: It has many real-world applications to drug therapy.
E: Drug therapy has been developed for many mental illnesses based on research into neurotransmitters. E.g SSRIs work to increase serotonin levels in the brain, based on the understanding of how low levels of serotonin contribute to OCD symptoms. These treatments therefore improve quality of life of the patients, as they can begin living with their OCD symptoms reduced.
T: This shows how this approach is useful in society.

Question 17

How would the biological approach explain mental illness? (4 ways)

Answer 17

Genes, inheritance, brain damage, neurotransmitters.

Question 18

How does drug therapy benefit the economy? (4)

Answer 18

Increases work productivity>less time off>gov spends less on “sick pay”>people spend more on leisure>benefits the economy.

Question 19

How do we measure our biology? 4 pros

Answer 19

Brain scans - highly scientific and objective>results are accurate>no risk of experimenter bias.

Question 20

Why is the biological explanation only considered a partial explanation of human behavior?

Answer 20

Ignores the role of nurture (limitation)

Question 21

What is biological reductionism? (What 4 influences)
Example of how is the biological approach biologically reductionist?

Answer 21

All behaviour can be explained through neurochemical, physiological, evolutionary and genetic influences.
Reduces the complex phenomena of OCD to lack of serotonin. This is far too simple an explanation for such a complex mental disorder.

Question 22

What is biological determinism? E.g?..
Example of how is the biological approach biologically deterministic?

Answer 22

Behavior being caused by internal biological factors e.g. neurochemistry
States human behaviour is controlled by biological structures such as genes and neurotransmitters. It’s very pessimistic view of human behaviour.

Question 23

Why might this approach not be accurate in terms of Britain’s justice system?

Answer 23

-We are “morally” responsible for our behaviour, but if we were “controlled” by our biology, when we commit a crime, we could attribute it to having too much testosterone or a “criminal gene”.
-Criminals are therefore not to blame for their behaviour, which goes against what our current criminal justice system states.