The Biological Approach

Question 1

What is the biological Approach?

Answer 1

The importance of physical processes in the body such as genetic inheritance

Question 2

What are genes?

Answer 2

Chromosomes which consist of DNA which code physical features

Question 3

what is a biological structure?

Answer 3

An arrangement or organisation that form organ, systems or living things

Question 4

What is neurochemistry?

Answer 4

Chemicals in the brain that regulate psychological functioning

Question 5

What is a genotype?

Answer 5

Set of genes a person owns

Question 6

What is a phenotype?

Answer 6

Characteristics of an individual determined by both genes and environment

Question 7

What’s evolution?

Answer 7

Changes in inherited characteristics in a biological population over generations

Question 8

Explain assumptions about the biological approach?

Answer 8

• Everything psychological is first biological
• The mind lives in the brain and all thoughts, feelings and behaviour have a physical base.

Question 9

Explain The neurochemical basis of behaviour?

Answer 9

• Refers to the action of chemicals in the brain
• Thoughts and behaviour relies on chemical transmission
• An imbalance of neurochemicals can cause mental disorders like OCD

Question 10

Explain the genetic basis of behaviour?

Answer 10

• Psychological characteristics (intelligence) are inherited the same way as height or eye color.
• Twin studies are used to investigate whether psychological characteristics have a genetic basis.
• This is by looking at concordance rates and see what extent they have the same features.

Question 11

Explain genotype and phenotype?

Answer 11

• Genotype is their actual genetic makeup whereas phenotype is the way genes are expressed through physical and behavioural characteristics.
• Even though twins have the same genes their phenotype is different because of the environmental factors.

Question 12

Explain evolution and behaviour?

Answer 12

• Charles Darwin proposed a theory of natural selection.
• Any genetically determined behaviour enhances an individual survival.
• For example, farmers choose cows with higher yields.
• This makes them more likely to survive

Question 13

What are some strengths of the biological approach?

Answer 13

• Real-world application. A good understanding of the neurochemical process makes it useful to understand psychoactive drugs which treat mental disorders.
• Depression is also better because of this
• Uses scientific methods for investigation and scanning techniques fMRI and EEG. Not open to bias

Question 14

Limitation of biological approach?

Answer 14

• Determinist
• human behaviour is governed internally and we have no control over it.
• We see it is influenced by the environment
• If someone committed a crime we can’t call it the crime gene.
• The biological approach is too simplistic and ignores its effects on the environment.