the biological approach

Question 1

what is a Genotype?

Answer 1

genetic codes for physical/ behavioural characteristics inherited from parents i.e. Hight (genetic testing)

Question 2

what is a phenotype?

Answer 2

the expression of the characteristics (growing tall), this can differ from genotype due to environmental effects (diets)

Question 3

what are twin studies ?

Answer 3

twins an either be monozygotic (mz) meaning identical twins or dizygotic (DZ) non-identical. MZ twins share 100% of their genes, the same as any sibling

Question 4

what is a concordance rate?

Answer 4

is the likelihood of one twin having the characteristic if the other twin has the characteristic (a measure of correlation) e.g. in Mz twins blue eyes have a 100% concordance rate.

Question 5

what does it mean?

Answer 5

if the concordance rate is higher in MZ twins than SZ twins it indicates a possible genetic component to behaviour

Question 6

diathesis stress

Answer 6

suggesting a disorder is the results of the interaction between pre-existing vulnerability ( i.e. genetic genotype) and environmental stressors ( i.e personal loss, abuse, drug use

Question 7

what is evolution?

Answer 7

the development of successive generations of natural organisms due to adaption to the environment

Question 8

what is the theory of natural selection?

Answer 8

Darwin (1858) individuals in species vary due to genetic differences. Variances most suited to the environment give a survival and reproductive advantage. these genes are more likely to be passed to the next generations

Question 9

what are inherited characteristics

Answer 9

these can be physical such as muscles, or behavioural adaptions such as fear responses

Question 10

what is the evolutionary argument for relationships

Answer 10

people are attracted to characteristics that best possibility of reproductive success

Question 11

what is aggression?

Answer 11

aggression is selected for survival advantage due to protection and the increased ability to gain resources

Question 12

what is the endocrine system?

Answer 12

a chemical messaging system throughout the body. releases hormones that enter the blood stream. slower than the nervous system, but with longer lasting effects

Question 13

what is the pituitary gland

Answer 13

known as the master gland, controls the release of hormones from other glands

Question 14

what is the adrenal gland?

Answer 14

releases adrenaline/ noradrenaline as part of the fight or flight response. adrenal, e.g. increase heart rate, constricts blood vessels increasing rate of blood flow and raising blood pressure-diverts blood away from the skin, kidney and digestive system

Question 15

what is the reflex arc

Answer 15

collection of cells that transmits information from the source, decide responses and make the responses happen

Question 16

what is the sensory neuron

Answer 16

send information from the senses to the brain

Question 17

what is the relay neuron?

Answer 17

relay neurons connects with other neurons, mostly found in the brain/CNS-analyse sensations, interpreting meaning, deciding responses. acts between the sensory and motor neurons

Question 18

what are motor neurons

Answer 18

send messages along axons from the brain to the muscle/ effectors

Question 19

what are neurotransmitters

Answer 19

these are chemical messages that work in the synaptic cleft. Neurotransmitter can be inhibitory (i.e. serotonin) making post synaptic neurons less likely to fire or excitatory (i.e. dopamine) making post synaptic neurons more likely to fire an impulse

Question 20

what is summation?

Answer 20

the net effect of inhibitory and excitatory influence on the post synaptic neuron results in it being more or less likely to fire. if the net effects is excitatory the neurone will be more likely to fire. if the net effects is inhibitory the neurone will be less likely to fire

Question 21

what is the nervous system?

Answer 21

the collection of nerve cells across the body that sends electrical messages

Question 22

what is the peripheral nervous system ?

Answer 22

information from the senses across the body to the brain, decisions from the brain to the body

Question 23

what is the central nervous system ?

Answer 23

contains the brain and the spinal cord. receives information, processes and makes decisions

Question 24

what is biological determinism?

Answer 24

biological determinism is the idea that our behaviour is casually driven by internal natural processes and is predictable, there wee do not have free will to control our actions

Question 25

what is biological reductionism?

Answer 25

biological approach attempts to reduce. the explanation for complex behaviours to simple biological elements. this is based on the scientific principle of parsimony, that complex phenomena should be explained in the simplest way possible

Question 26

how does the biological approach relate to the nature/ nurture debate

Answer 26

approach fully supports the idea is due to the behaviour is due to the nature processes such as the influence of genes, neurotransmitters and brain structure, minimises the role of the environment such as cultural or social learning pressures on behaviour

Question 27

how does the biological approach relate to to ideographic nomothetic approach

Answer 27

the biological approach takes in a quantitative scientific approach of studying large groups of people in an attempt to form general laws of behaviour that can apply across populations. this has led to effective drug treatments

Question 28

strengths of the biological approach

Answer 28

• effectiveness of drugs created from the biological approach have helped people
• large number of empirical studies to back up biological theories.