Biological Approach

Question 1

Name the key assumptions of the biological approach.

Answer 1

• There is a direct correlation between brain activity and cognition
• Biochemical imbalances can affect behaviour
• Brain physiology can affect behaviour
• Behaviour can be inherited (as it is determined by genetic information)

Question 2

What are genes?

Answer 2

• Make up chromosomes and consists of DNA which codes for physical and psychological features
• Can be passed from parent to offspring

Question 3

What are twin studies?

Answer 3

Researchers compare behavioural traits of twins to evaluate the degree of genetic and environmental influence on a specific trait

Question 4

What are monozygotic twins?

Answer 4

Identical twins , 1 egg and 1 sperm split into two

Question 5

What are dizygotic twins?

Answer 5

Fraternal twins , 2 eggs and 2 sperm

Question 6

What is a concordance rate?

Answer 6

The extent to which both twins share the same characteristics (scale from 0-1)

Question 7

What concordance rate do monozygotic twins have?

Answer 7

1 (100%)

Question 8

What concordance rate do dizygotic twins have?

Answer 8

0.5 (50%)

Question 9

Name the concordance rate statistics found by Bouchard and McGue when comparing IQ of family members.

Answer 9

MZ raised together - 0.86
MZ raised apart - 0.72
DZ raised together - 0.60
Siblings raised together - 0.47
Siblings raised apart - 0.24
Cousins - 0.15

Question 10

Name the concordance rates found by Raine when looking at the delinquent behaviour of twins.

Answer 10

MZ twins - 0.52
DZ twins - 0.21

Question 11

What are family studies?

Answer 11

A study to see if a particular trait or characteristic carries a genetic basis through family generations

Question 12

What are adoption studies?

Answer 12

• Comparing characteristics between their biological and adoptive parents
• Investigates whether a trait / characteristic is inherited or influenced by the environment

Question 13

What is selective breeding?

Answer 13

• Artificially selecting desired characteristics from male + female
  animals
• These two are then bred together to create offspring with these desired characteristics
• Demonstrates how a number of behavioural characteristics have a genetic basis

Question 14

What is a genotype?

Answer 14

The genetic code for a specific gene

Question 15

What is a phenotype?

Answer 15

The observable characteristics of an organism when genetics and the environment are combined

Question 16

What is the nature v nurture debate?

Answer 16

Relative contributions of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) to individual’s traits

Question 17

What is evolution?

Answer 17

The change in the inherited characteristics of biological populations over successive generations

Question 18

Who created the theory of evolution?

Answer 18

Charles Darwin

Question 19

What is natural selection?

Answer 19

Organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring where these characteristics are passed to their offspring

Question 20

What is sexual selection?

Answer 20

Mode of natural selection relating to a competition for mates and the development of characteristics that ensure reproductive success

Question 21

Name the lobes of the brain.

Answer 21

Frontal
Parietal
Occipital
Temporal

Question 22

Name the areas of the brain.

Answer 22

Visual
Auditory
Somatosensory
Broca’s
Wernicke’s
Motor

Question 23

What is the function of the frontal lobe?

Answer 23

Personality
Motor skills
Speech production (Broca’s area)

Question 24

What is the function of the temporal lobe?

Answer 24

Auditory processing
Language

Question 25

What is the function of the parietal lobe?

Answer 25

Touch perception
Body orientation

Question 26

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

Answer 26

Visual processing

Question 27

What is the function of the brainstem?

Answer 27

Involuntary responses

Question 28

What is the function of the cerebellum?

Answer 28

Balance and coordination

Question 29

Which areas match up to which lobe?

Answer 29

Visual -> Occipital
Auditory -> Temporal
Somatosensory -> Parietal
Broca’s + Motor -> Frontal

Question 30

What was Allen et al. (2007)?

Answer 30

An experiment done where a lower activity was found in the temporal lobe of those participants with schizophrenia

Question 31

Who was Phineas Gage?

Answer 31

Railroad worker in the 1800s, suffered brain damage in prefrontal cortex. His case led to the discovery of the role of the frontal lobe in personality

Question 32

What is neurochemistry?

Answer 32

Relating to chemicals in the brain that regulate psychological functioning

Question 33

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 33

Chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap during synaptic transmission

Question 34

What are the 2 types of neurotransmitters?

Answer 34

Inhibitory and Excitatory

Question 35

What are the strengths of the biological approach?

Answer 35

• Methods are objective leading to high reliability
• Real life application which lead to drug treatment for mental health + improved quality of life for those with mental health conditions

Question 36

What are the weaknesses of the biological approach?

Answer 36

• Abnormalities are portrayed as a causes of imbalances of neurotransmitters, however, this approach fails to consider other factors
• Biologically deterministic , fails to consider free will in cases such as crime because this approach believes in the influence of pre determined genes
• In family / twin studies , it is difficult to separate the nature vs nature debate due to the similar environmental conditions they grew up in