The biological approach Flashcards
What is Genotype?
Genetic makeup-fixed from birth
What is phenotype?
Expression of their genes-observable characteristics of a person
What is natural selection?
Ensures that characteristics providing an evolutionary advantage, are passed from one generation to the next,whilst others which did not,die out.
How do neurochemicals determine behaviour?
-At the synapse,signals are sent between neurons by chemicals called neurotransmitters
-Imbalances are associated with atypical behaviour
serotonin-depression
Dopamine-schizophrenia
What are behavioural genetics?
Makes an assumption that are behavioural characteristics can be determined by our unique genetic makeup in the same way as our physical characteristics.
Clearly there is a variance between individuals in terms of characteristics,such as height or intelligence, and the more a trait is determined by genetics the greater its heritability.
Why do offspring take after their parents in terms of their behaviours and psychological characteristics?
-Have inherited characteristics from them
-However, the extent to which these characteristics and behaviours develop is also dependent on the interaction of the genes and with the environment,which is why although identical twins have an identical genotype, they can still show subtle differences in their phenotype.
What are the use of twin studies?
-Often used to attempt to draw conclusions about the genetic basis of a particular behavioural characteristics.
-By comparing the concordance rates(the extent to which both twins share the same characteristic) between monozygotic twins (identical) with dizogotic twins (non-identical)it can help to determine the extent to which the behavioural characteristic has a genetic basis.
What are the limitation of the biological approach?(issues with twin studies)
-Issues with using twins for research
-Concordance rates can never be 100% in MZ twins suggesting meaning there must be other environmental factors playing a part in human behaviour
-Therefore, difficult to determine whether behaviour is inherited or learnt from the environment when using twin studies as it may not be a measure of valid measure of heredity
What is a limitation of the biological approach?(reductionist)
-Considered reductonist