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A-Level Psychology > The Biological Approach > Flashcards

The Biological Approach Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the biological approach

A

Approach that combines psychology and biology to provide physiological explanations for human behaviour. It attempts to explain how we think, feel and behave in terms of physical factors within the body

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2
Q

Assumptions of approach

A
  • investigates how biological structures and functions of the brain impacts behaviour
  • human behaviour is biological cause
  • genes affect behaviour
  • the nervous system (hormones and neurotransmitters) affect behaviour
  • infections of the brain can play role in mental illness
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3
Q

Heredity

A

Passing of characteristics from one generation to the next through genes

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4
Q

Genes

A

Carry instructions for characteristics

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5
Q

What does genetics being developed depend on

A

Interactions of the genes with other genes and the influence of the environment

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6
Q

Heritability

A

Amount of variation in a trait within a population that can be attributed to genetic differences

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7
Q

Concordance rates

A

Extent to which a pair of twins share similar traits or characteristics

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8
Q

MZ twins

A

Monozygotic twins - identical twins, occur when a single egg cell is fertilized by a single sperm cell.

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9
Q

DZ twins

A

Dizygotic (DZ) twins, occur when two egg cells are each fertilized by a different sperm cell in the same menstrual cycle

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10
Q

Analysis of Bourxhard’s twin research

A
  • identical twins reared apart have much higher concordance rate than ordinary siblings reared together H72% vs 47%) showing genetics have greater influence than envonment
  • not a great deal of difference between concordance rates of identical twins reared together (86%) and identical twins reared apart (72%)
  • MZ twins have higher concordance rate (86%) than DZ twins (60%) suggesting genetics plays a role but because not 100%, envonment is a factor also
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11
Q

What is destruction of the brain cause by and what can it cause

A

Injury, tumours and strokes. It can cause possible behavioural changes

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12
Q

6 parts of the brain I need to know

A

Frontal lobe
Parental lobe
Temporal lobe
Occipital lobe
Cerebellum
Brain stem

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13
Q

What is the Frontal lobe responsible for

A

Thinking, memory, behaviour and movement

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14
Q

What is the parietal lobe responsible for

A

Language and touch

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15
Q

What is the occipital lobe responsible for

A

Sight

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16
Q

What is the temporal lobe responsible for

A

Hearing, leaning and feeling

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17
Q

What is the cerebellum responsible for

A

Balance and coordination

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18
Q

What is the brain stem responsible for

A

Breathing, heart rate and temperature

19
Q

Story of phineas gage

A

He survived an accident in which a large iron rode when through his brain. Although he survived his personality changed from being social able to being hostile. He became bad tempered and violent

20
Q

Discoveries from gages story

A

That the brain is not random, it is spilt into sections of which have different responsibilities. In this case, because the frontal lobe was damaged, it shows the frontal lobe is responsible for behaviohr

21
Q

How does the central nervous system influence behaviour

A

Neurotransmitters enable NS to function and abbnirmal levels of neurotransmitters can lead to symptoms of mental illnesses. For example depression is linked to low levels of serotonin and noradrenaline. Neurotransmitter levels can be determined genetically

22
Q

Behavioural effect of low serotonin

A

OCD

23
Q

Behavioural effect of high dopamine

A

OCD acts on reward system in brain

24
Q

Behavioural effect of melatonin hormone

A

Regulates sleep

25
Q

Behavioural affect of Adrenalin hormone

A

Releases fight of flight responses
Increases HR and BP

26
Q

What are hormones

A

Chemical messengers that help to regulate processes in the body and control how cells and organs work

27
Q

What are hormones secreted by

A

Glands and then they travel to their target organs in the bloodstream

28
Q

What is a genotype

A

Genetic make up. It is the set of genes an indivual has or is made up of

29
Q

What is the expression of a genotype influenced by

A

Environmental factors, for example a twin may look more in shape as they exercise more

30
Q

What is a phenotype

A

An individuals physical appearance from the inherited genotype but involves interaction of environment

31
Q

What characteristics is a phenotype expressed through

A

Physical, behavioural and psychological characterstics

32
Q

What is the difference between genotypes and phenotypes

A

The genotype is the genetic programming that provides the phenotype

33
Q

Why are psychologists interested in studying twins

A

To investigate the genetic basis of behaviour

34
Q

What is a good example of a genotype interacting with the environment

A

Identical twins

35
Q

What do adoption studies involve

A

Comparing a trait or characterstics between adopted children and their biological or adoptive parents

36
Q

Evolution

A

Changes in inherited characteristics in a biological population over successive generations

37
Q

2 main concepts in evolutionary theory

A

Natural selection
Sexual selection

38
Q

Natural selection

A

The principle that behaviour that benefits a species and helps it to survive and reproduce will continue in further generations

39
Q

Adaptive traits

A

Traits that will provide them with an advantage and are more likely to survive because of them so they are passed on to their offspring

40
Q

What does evolutionary psychology try to understand

A

Human behaviour as the result of psychological adaptation and natural selection

41
Q

Where does this approach stand on the free will / deterministic debate

A

Deterministic approach

42
Q

Strengths of biological approach

A
  • scientific approach suggesting we can find cause and effect of biology on behaviour
  • scientific methods used increasing reliability and validity of findings
  • lead to treatment as can identify the reason for a mental illness
43
Q

Limitations of biological approach

A
  • determinstic approach as it believes we are determined by our physiological, genetic or evolutionary make up
  • reductionists approach by stating that all human behaviour can be explained through a single biological process
  • suggests not unique as individual
  • ignores role of environment
  • lab experiments can lack ecological validity

A-Level Psychology (11 decks)

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