The Biological Approach Flashcards
What is the biological approach?
Attempts to explain behaviour in terms of different biological processes, including genes, hormones, and neurotransmitters, etc.
What is the assumption of the biological approach?
All that is psychological is first biological.
Since the mind resides in the brain, all thoughts, feelings, and behaviours have a biological cause.
What is neurochemistry?
The action of chemicals in the brain.
Much of our thought and behaviour relies on chemical transmission in the brain.
Examples of the link between neurochemistry and mental health disorders.
- Low serotonin is linked to OCD.
- High dopamine is linked to schizophrenia.
What is evolution?
Evolution describes the changes that occur over time in inherited characteristics of a biological population. This occurs due to a process of natural selection.
What is natural selection?
Only genes that are best adapted to the environment where the species live will survive, reproduce, and pass on these traits.
What are genotypes?
Genotype describes a persons genetic makeup.
What are phenotypes?
Phenotype describes how those genes are expressed in terms of physical, psychological, and behavioural characteristics.
Why do biological psychologists use twin studies?
If siblings share genetic makeup, it enables us to see the influence of biology rather than the environment on behaviour.
What are concordance rates?
The likelihood that if one twin exhibits a behavioural trait/condition, the other co-twin will exhibit the same.
What were the concordance rates in the study on depression?
- 49% for monzygotic twins.
- 17% for dizygotic twins.
- 9% for ordinary twins.
What are monozygotic twins?
Identical twins formed from one fertilised egg.
What are dizygotic twins?
Non-identical twins formed from two fertilised eggs.
What is the ‘criminal gene’?
One variant of the MAOA gene, often known as the warrior gene, leads to low MAOA activity in certain areas of the brain. This has been associated with various forms of aggressive behaviour.
What is the benefit of biological psychologists employing highly controlled methods of investigation?
(eg FMRIs and EEGs)
They are objective and factual, so not open to bias or manipulation.
How does the use of twin studies and concordance rates support the genetics theory?
Identical twins share the same genetic makeup. High concordance rates between twins compared to low concordance rates between ordinary siblings support the idea of genetics as a cause of behaviour.
Give an example of the practical applications of biological psychology.
The use of drugs for depression and other mental illnesses.
In what way is biological psychology reductionist and deterministic?
It takes the view that human behaviour is determined by internal genetic factors, over which we have no control. This ignores free will as a factor, as well as ignoring environmental and cognitive factors.
Why is it problematic that biological psychology claims that violent criminals are controlled by the warrior gene?
It gives criminals the defense of saying that their genetics are to blame instead of them, and ignores that they have the free will not to commit crime.
Why is the evolutionary theory arguably unfalsifiable?
It is hard to prove either that it is true or that it isn’t. Although fossils prove that evolution has taken place, behaviour and psychology from that long ago are very difficult, if not impossible, to prove.
