The biological approach

Question 1

biological approach

Answer 1

Assumes everything that is psychological was first biological
The nervous system is prominent within this approach and damage to it can result in behaviour and physical changes
Genes and neurochemistry play an important part in deciding who we are.

Question 2

Influence of biology on behaviour

Answer 2

Biological structures and processes within the body has a big effect on our psychological functioning and behaviour.
Biological psychologists argue that the mind lives within the biological structure of the brain - our thoughts have a physical basis.

Question 3

Neurochemistry

Answer 3

the study of the chemical makeup and activities of nervous tissue. chemical processes and phenomena related to the nervous system. messages are sent around the brain and body via nerves but also via nerves.

Question 4

Neuronatomy

Answer 4

the study of the relationship between structure and function in the nervous system.- One area controls how we see and another area controls our movement.- Structure of the nervous system- the brain.

Question 5

evolution

Answer 5

how animals change over millions of years. One time their was only small one-celled organisms on the planet which has evolved over time in what they are today.

Question 6

Lateralisation of the brain function

Answer 6

When certain brain functions to be located in just one side or the other

You don’t just use one side of your brain, but one side of the brain is more dominant for some functions like left side language- eg if right side is damaged it won’t affect your language

Question 7

genes

Answer 7

he basic units of heredity that are passed down from parents to their children. Each gene is made of strands of DNA- deoxyribonucleic acid
They carry instructions relating to the physical and non physical characteristics of living organisms
The characterises relate to the colour of your hair of if u have a calm temperament

Question 8

The human genome project

Answer 8

is an international research project whose primary mission is to decipher the chemical sequence of the complete human genetic material (i.e., the entire genome), identify all 50,000 to 100,000 genes contained within the genome, and provide research tools to analyse all this genetic information.

Question 9

genotype

Answer 9

refers to an individuals actual; genetic make up. It is what you inherit from your parents - food you eat affects your body’s internal environment.

Question 10

phenotype

Answer 10

an interaction between genotype and environmental influence. Known as epigenetic.- How genes are expressed.

Question 11

The Jim twins 1940

Answer 11

didn’t meet till fifty years old
weird similarities

Question 12

how to identify the sex from different creatures

Answer 12

Turtles and crocodiles- hot temperature male and cold temperature female
Lizards are all female and hatch clones of themselves

Question 13

About extraverts and introverts

Answer 13

Being one of these is defined as ‘distinct characteristics that make up personality. Some biological influences decide this
Psychologists believe extraverts inherit underachieve nervous system, so have to arouse it they have experience of of constant excitement- engaging in risky behaviour

Question 14

How they calculate a heritability estimate

Answer 14

Researchers have used monozygotic and dizygotic twins to calculate a heritably estimate a figure indicating the degree to which a physical or psychological characteristic is genetically inherited

Question 15

Characteristics explained by genes

Answer 15

physical appearance- height, hair colour, skin colour
Health- likelihood of getting. disease like anaemia/cystic fibrosis
personality trates like extrovert or impulsivity- 30/60%
Neuroticism- 40/60%

Question 16

What is localisation

Answer 16

Idea that there are specific areas to control and regukate specific physical and psychological activities

Question 17

The motor area

Answer 17

Brain outer layer is called the cortex, it’s very thin and a highly folded layer that covers the inner structures like an orange peel. Each hemisphere has a motor area which controls the voluntary movements of the opposite side of the body. Damage can cause a loss of control over fine movements

Question 18

The visual area

Answer 18

back of the brain in both hemisphere. Each eye sends info from the right half of the visual field to the left visual area and from the left half of the brain to the right visual area -opposites . Reason why damage to one eye causes partial blindness

Question 19

Brain plasticity

Answer 19

Meaning its plastic meaning its flexible and can change throughout life
2 examples over with humans:
Synaptic pruning- synapses are the connections in the brain between neuron’s. At 3 years kid we have roughly 15,000, twice as many as the adult brain. Synapses are ‘prunes’ to make space and strengthen with learning.
Functional recovery- when areas of the brain are damaged, unaffected areas can often adapt and tame over their functions.

Question 20

Who is Phineas P Gage-1860

Answer 20

functional recovery. was an American railroad construction foreman remembered for his improbable[B1]: 19  survival of an accident in which a large iron rod was driven completely through his head, destroying much of his brain’s left frontal lobe, and for that injury’s reported effects on his personality and behaviour over the remaining 11/12 years of his life‍—‌effects sufficiently profound that friends saw him (for a time at least) as “no longer Gage”. He was able to talk immediately after. And died of a stoke/ epileptic seizure. Before the accident he was calm and polite but after the accident he became very angry/ tolerance.

Question 21

Sex differences are male and female brains the same

Answer 21

Total brain volume is greater (on average) in males- they have bigger brains
But it isn’t just the entire brain volume is bigger, specific parts change depending on sex
Eg- thalamus is bigger in females (controls signals to organs), stronger nerve connections between the brain hemispheres in women
On average- cortex is thicker in women. However their is a larger thickness variation in men(meaning between men they have a big difference in sizes between them).

Question 22

Serotonin

Answer 22

SSRIs block the reuptake process, which is when serotonin is usually taken back into brain cells after carrying a signal. This makes more serotonin available to help pass messages between brain cells.

Question 23

adrenaline

Answer 23

Adrenaline is a hormone that’s released by the adrenal glands in response to stress or danger to prepare the body for a “fight or flight” response

Question 24

Cortisol

Answer 24

During times of stress, your body can release cortisol after releasing its “fight or flight” hormones, such as adrenaline, so you continue to stay on high alert

Question 25

oestrogen

Answer 25

Is main female sex hormone- reproductive health, bone health and skin. Controls development of female sexual characteristics (breasts) and the menstrual cycle.

Question 26

What does the frontal lobe control

Answer 26

Controls many abilities- cognitive processes, language, movement, personality, social skills and memory

Question 27

Parietal lobe

Answer 27

Processing sensory information, spatial processing, integrating sensory input and touch perception

Question 28

Temporal lobe controls..

Answer 28

memory, hearing and language, visual perception, emotions, senses and memory/ information retrieval

Question 29

Occpitailobe controls..

Answer 29

Visual processing- visual perception, objective and facial recognition, language and reading