The Biological Approach To Explaining OCD: Genetic

Question 1

Hereditary basis

Answer 1

As if you have relatives who share the disorder, you are more likely to have it.

Question 2

Lewis (1937)

Answer 2

Found 37% patients had parents with OCD whilst 21% had siblings who also had the disorder.

Question 3

Diathesis stress model

Answer 3

Where people inherit genetic vulnerability for OCD which means they are more likely to develop the disorder if they experience stressful life events.

Question 4

Candidate gene

Answer 4

The gene 5HT1-D beta affects the transmission of serotonin across that synapses which disrupts serotonin activity

Question 5

Other characteristics

Answer 5

Polygenic - found 230 different genes

Aetiologically heterogeneous - can be caused by different combinations of genes in different people

Question 6

Evaluation strength: Nesdadt et al (2010)

Answer 6

Found 68% of identical twins share OCD whilst only 31% of non identical twins did

Question 7

Evaluation strength: Cromer et al (2007)

Answer 7

Found that half the OCD patients they studied experienced a traumatic event in the past

Question 8

Evaluation weakness: twin studies

Answer 8

Fail to take into account the role of shared environment.

Question 9

Evaluation weakness: too many candidate genes

Answer 9

Psychologists have not been able to link it to many genes that only increase the risk slightly.