5 Approaches- Biological

Question 1

what is the biological approach?

Answer 1

the approach that believes behaviour, personality, mental illness and intelligence are due to inherited characteristics

Question 2

what are the four sections within the biological approach?

Answer 2

-influence of genes on behaviour
-biological structures
-neurochemistry
-evolution

Question 3

what is the influence of genes on behaviour?

Answer 3

genes can be studied to see if certain genes increase the likelihood of developing certain behaviours

Question 4

examples of behaviours that genes influence

Answer 4

agression, OCD, schizophrenia

Question 5

what are genes?

Answer 5

sections of DNA strands found in cells

Question 6

difference between dominant and recessive genes

Answer 6

dominant genes need one in a pair to show their effect, whereas recessive genes must have both present for the characteristics to be presented

Question 7

what is the genotype?

Answer 7

genetic material given by a sperm and egg which shows the alleles present for a certain characteristic

Question 8

what is the phenotype?

Answer 8

the expressed characteristic as a result of their genetics and influence of the environment

Question 9

how can we investigate the role of human genes with behaviour?

Answer 9

use twin studies

Question 10

what are the two types of twins and their genetic similarity percentage?

Answer 10

MZ twins share 100% genetic similarity (identical)
DZ twins share 50% genetic similarity (non-identical)

the study looks to establish a concordance rate which provides a statistical measure in the level of agreement between the twin pairs

Question 11

would a higher concordance rate in MZ or DZ twins show a genetic component to a characterisitic?

Answer 11

a higher concordance rate in MZ twins

Question 12

example of twin study performed

Answer 12

Gottesman (1991)
-40 twin studies to research schizophrenia
-results demonstrated that genes play a significant role in the development of schizophrenia

Question 13

what does polygenic mean?

Answer 13

characteristic is influenced by two or more genes

Question 13

example of twin study researching aggression

Answer 13

Brengden (2005)
-researchers studied 233 twin pairs aged 6
-higher concordance rates found in MZ twins on physical aggression than between DZ twins (same sex)
-suggested that physical aggression can be genetically inherited, but there is a very weak link as there are many environmental factors too.

Question 14

what biological structures play a significant role in the biological approach?

Answer 14

the nervous system, brain

Question 15

what is the nervous system?

Answer 15

your body’s command centre
-it controls movements, thoughts and automatic responses to the environment

Question 16

what are the two sections the nervous system is divided into?

Answer 16

peripheral nervous system (somatic, autonomic)

central nervous system (brain, spinal cord)

Question 17

how is the brain divided?

Answer 17

into 2 hemispheres and 4 lobes

Question 18

name the two hemispheres the brain is divided into?

Answer 18

left hemisphere
and the right hemisphere

Question 19

name the 4 lobes the brain is divided into?

Answer 19

pre-frontal lobe
parietal lobe
temporal lobe
occipital lobe

Question 20

what is the pre-frontal lobe?

Answer 20

this is the emotional control centre of the brain, it is responsible for our personality and decision influencing

Question 21

what is the parietal lobe?

Answer 21

this processes sensory information for cognitive purposes and it helps to coordinate spatial relations it help make sense of the world around us.

Question 22

what is the temporal lobe?

Answer 22

based at the bottom of the brain, a part of this interprets the sounds and language we hear

Question 23

what is the occipital lobe?

Answer 23

this is responsible for processing visual information

Question 24

how can the brain be studied?

Answer 24

brain scans case studies

Question 25

what are scans used for?

Answer 25

scans are used to help examine patterns of brain activity and anatomical structures

Question 26

give and briefly describe 4 types of scans

Answer 26

PET scans use radioactive chemicals to show activity CAT scans detect damaged parts of the brain MRI scans use magnets and radiowaves to produce detailed images fMRI scans create images of the brain and blood flow

Question 27

how can case studies help us study the brain?

Answer 27

case studies with people who have experienced trauma or damage to their brain can be used to study localisation of function, showing how certain parts of the brain have specific functions and roles

Question 28

example of case study used to study the brain

Answer 28

Phineas Gage (1848) Phineas Gage had a workplace accident in which an iron tamping rod entered and exited his skull. -this suggested a link between brain damage and personality as his personality completely changed after the accident -frontal cortex was damaged which is involved in social cognition and behaviour -frontal lobe responsible for characteristics and human behaviour -he became anti social and aggressive

Question 29

what is neurochemistry?

Answer 29

the study of chemical processes which take part in the nervous system -messages travel i the nervous system through the spinal cord and hormones through electrical impulses.

Question 30

role of the spinal cord

Answer 30

carries nerve signals to and from the brain

Question 31

how do messages travel to and from the brain?

Answer 31

messages travel via electrical impulses, along the axon of a neuron, until a synapse is reached. neurotransmitters travel across the synaptic gap to the receiving neurone

Question 32

what are hormones?

Answer 32

chemicals that travel through the bloodstream -impact metabolism, blood pressure, glucose levels, growth and development

Question 33

what is evolution in the biological approach?

Answer 33

a change in the genetic composition of a population over successive generations

Question 34

what scientists proposed evolution is a result of natural and sexual selection?

Answer 34

Charles Darwin (1859)

Question 35

what does natural selection suggest?

Answer 35

organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success. as a result they reproduce as pass on alleles -a genetic mutation comes along causing a change in genetic structure

Question 36

what is sexual selection?

Answer 36

the advantage which certain individuals have over other individuals of the same sex and species solely in respect of reproduction -intra-specific reproductive competition

Question 37

example of sexual selection

Answer 37

women find men more attractive if they have big muscles for protection, in the past men fought for their families and for food.

Question 38

AO3 what is an opposing idea to this approach?

Answer 38

ignores the role of nuture, focuses entirely on nature -does not fully explain many disorders or behaviours- both biology and the environment play a part -the diathesis stress model suggests that mental disorders are caused by vulnerabilities combined with stress factors

Question 39

AO3 is this approach deterministic?

Answer 39

it is biologically deterministic as it fails to acknowledge the role of free will in human behaviour (also experiences) -characteristics are determined by genetics, we have no control over our behaviour -this can cause problems as behaviour may become excusable as they have no responsibility over how we behave

Question 40

AO3 does this approach have any applications?

Answer 40

drug treatments for mental illnesses e.g. SSRIs for serotonin -drugs can be designed to alter biochemical imbalances e.g. low levels of serotonin activity is associated with OCD, drugs can increase serotonin levels of activity at the synapse -this is useful to help minimise and manage the symptons of disorders by addressing neurotransmitter imbalances

Question 41

AO3 is this approach scientific?

Answer 41

yes, it is based on scientific research evidence -methods such as scans occur in labs, high levels of strict control, control over EVs, high internal validity -the data collected is also empirical and observable, allowing for replication, no biases or inferences made with visual scan images

Question 42

AO3 is there a clear cause and effect relationship in this approach?

Answer 42

it can be difficult to establish a cause and effect relationship between biological factors and human behaviour -e.g. low levels of serotonin activity can be a factor of OCD, it is never fully determined if this causes OCD or if OCD causes low serotonin activity levels