The Biological Approach

Question 1

what is the biological approach

Answer 1

assumes all psychological behaviours/functions have a biological root at their core

Question 2

examples of biological structures

Answer 2

genetics
neurotransmitters
hormones
brain structures

Question 3

what is the genetic basis of behaviour

Answer 3

investigates the extent to which behaviour is inherited

Question 4

how many pairs of chromosomes is a human born with

Answer 4

23

Question 5

What are twin studies used for, and how do they measure genetic influence on traits?

Answer 5

Investigate genetic basis for traits (e.g., schizophrenia, IQ, criminality).

Compare Monozygotic (MZ) and Dizygotic (DZ) twins.

Focus on concordance rates (agreement rates).

High concordance rate = strong genetic connection to trait/behavior

Question 6

what if characteristic is genetic

Answer 6

100% of MZ twins share that characteristics

Question 7

what is a genotype

Answer 7

persons particular set of genes that make up their DNA

Question 8

traits of genotypes

Answer 8

Unique to each individual (except MZ twins, who share 100% DNA).

Determines physical traits (e.g., eye/hair color).

Fixed at conception; only changes with rare mutations.

Environment influences how genotype is expressed as a phenotype.

Question 9

what is a phenotype

Answer 9

Observable traits resulting from genotype + environmental influences eg height, eye color, hair texture, blood type.

Question 10

How do environmental factors shape the expression of genotype in phenotype?

Answer 10

Phenotype influenced by environment: Nutrition, pollutants, social factors.

Examples:
Genotype sets height potential, but diet determines if max height is achieved.

Genotype may predispose to behaviors (e.g., criminality), but environment determines expression.

Secure environments: Reduce likelihood of negative traits (e.g., crime).

Adverse environments: Increase likelihood of negative traits.

Even MZ twins: Show different phenotypes due to unique life experiences

Question 10

Evaluation of assumptions & the influence of genes: real world application

Answer 10

Drug therapies: Success of SSRIs for treating depression and OCD.

Family history: Reliable predictor of disease risk because of understanding of (genotype + environmental factors)

Question 10

Evaluation of assumptions & the influence of genes: twin studies use large samples

Answer 10

researcher studied heritability of IQ with over 1,500 twin pairs and 350 adopted/biological siblings.
Findings: MZ twins reared together had a correlation of +0.9 (significant).
Strengths: Large sample size and quantitative data provide good reliability.

Question 10

Evaluation of assumptions & the influence of genes: biological determinism

Answer 10

BA is the belief that human behavior is solely determined by genetics.
Ignores environmental factors and cognitive processing.
Reduces external validity by oversimplifying human behavior

Question 11

Evaluation of assumptions & the influence of genes: mixed up MZ and DZ twins

Answer 11

Physical resemblance could mislabel twins as MZ instead of DZ

Damage validity

Question 12

what structures do the BA play a key role in human behaviour

Answer 12

nervous system, the endocrine system and the brain

Question 13

what does the nervous system consist of

Answer 13

CNS
PNS ( Peripheral Nervous System)

Question 14

functions of cns

Answer 14

Comprises the brain and spinal cord; it receives, sends, and responds to sensory information.

Question 15

functions of PNS

Answer 15

Relays information between the body and the brain, including involuntary responses (e.g., breathing, heartbeat), sensory information, and control of voluntary movement.

Question 16

what is the endocrine system

Answer 16

chemical messaging system operating throughout the body.
secrete hormones into bloodstreams from different glands

Question 17

what is the brain

Answer 17

made up of different regions localised for different functions
eg temporal, frontal lobe and cerebellum.

Question 18

what is temporal lobe

Answer 18

controls auditory perception
and controls speech comprehenison

Question 19

what is the frontal lobe

Answer 19

voluntary movement and expressive language

Question 20

what is the cerebellum

Answer 20

receives info from spinal cord
regulates balance and motor movements

Question 21

the evolutionary approach when explaining behaviour

Answer 21

based on Darwin’s theory, examining how human traits evolved through natural selection

Question 22

examples of evolutionary apporach

Answer 22

aggression
memory
language
mate selection

Question 23

example of aggression evolution

Answer 23

Useful for fighting off predators and enemies.

Question 24

example of evolutionary memory

Answer 24

Useful for recalling the location of food sources

Question 25

example of evolutionary language

Answer 25

useful for communicating with tribe members

Question 26

example of mate selection

Answer 26

usefulness to select a mate who will bear healthy offspring

Question 27

what are adaptive behaviours

Answer 27

Behaviours that increase chances of survival and reproductive success. passed through generations

Question 28

biological structures & neurochemistry AO3: objective methods

Answer 28

Zak et al. (2009): Linked testosterone levels in blood samples to reduced prosocial behaviour.

Maguire et al. (2000): Used MRI scans to study the hippocampus’s role in spatial navigation.

results can be checked for consistency meaning good reliability

Question 29

biological structures & neurochemistry AO3: compelling evidence supporting evolution and behaviour

Answer 29

Curtis found ppl showed more disgust to disease-salient images than neutral shows that disgust is evolutionary to prevent us from ingesting toxic materials ; lends validity that humans are biologically programmed for survival

Question 30

biological structures & neurochemistry AO3: overly reductionist

Answer 30

testosterone levels alone cannot fully explain a lack of prosocial behavior; personality and upbringing also play a role.

spatial naviagtion Not solely dependent on the hippocampus; cognitive abilities (e.g., memory) and social factors (e.g., familiarity with London streets from childhood) contribute as well.

Question 31

biological structures & neurochemistry AO3: non advantageous behaviours still remain

Answer 31

behaviors like aggression are no longer advantageous
don’t need to fight for food and excessive aggression can lead to police involvement and social isolation
these explanations can not fully account for behaviours in today’s societal and environmental context