approaches: biological approach Flashcards
(41 cards)
what is the biological approach?
the biological approach argues that as humans are biological beings, their behaviour should be explained as the result of biological structures and processes
what are the focuses of the biological approach?
- the role of inheritance and genes
- the function of the nervous system and the endocrine system
- the structure and function of neurones and the role of neurotransmitters
how is a biological perspective relevant to the study of psychology?
Comparative method: different species of animal can be studied and compared. This can help in the search to understand human behaviour.
what are psychologists trying to determine on a genetic basis of behaviour?
psychologists are trying to determine the extent to which behaviours or characteristics such as intelligence or aggression, are the product of inheritance (genes) or environmental influences
what is the endocrine system?
a body-wide system of glands
- each gland releases chemical messengers called hormones
what happens during the fight or flight response?
- during the fight or flight response, the brain signals the adrenal gland to release adrenaline
- this hormone travels through the bloodstream, enhancing blood flow to the brain and muscles while decreasing it to digestive organs and skin
how can hormones have long term effects on the body and behaviour?
sex hormones like testosterone and oestrogen play roles in developing gender-specific physical features
- testosterone is associated with male traits and is linked to increased aggression
how do biological structures influence behaviour?
the brain is the centre of all conscious and unconscious thoughts
what is the localisation of function
the localisation of function is the idea that specific brain areas are responsible for certain functions
what does the brain stem do?
the brain stem controls core physiological functions, including heart rate and breathing
what is the cerebellum involved in?
the cerebellum is involved in coordinating muscle movements and balance
describe the cerebrum:
- the cerebrum has two hemispheres connected by a bundle of nerve fibres called the corpus callosum
- each hemisphere is subdivided into four lobes: occipital (visual perception), temporal (auditory), parietal (sensory), and frontal (rational decision making)
what is the limbic system?
the limbic system is the emotional centre of the brain and has structures called the amygdala, the thalamus and the hippocampus
what does the brain’s biological structure consist of?
the brain’s biological structure consists of nerve cells, or neurons through which information travels electrically
what happens between neurons?
these neurons do not physically touch each other; there is a gap between them known as the synaptic cleft. At this location, known as the synapse, the electrical signal must be converted into a chemical signal to continue its journey to the next neuron
what are methods of investigating the genetic basis of behaviour?
- twin studies
- family studies
- adoption studies
what do twin studies provide geneticists with?
Twin studies provide geneticists with a kind of natural experiment in which the behavioural likeness of identical twins (whose genetic relatedness is 1.0) can be compared with the resemblance of dizygotic twins (whose genetic relatedness is 0.5)
why are psychologists interested in studying twin studies?
to investigate whether certain psychological characteristics have a genetic basis
how are twin studies investigated?
analysing concordance rates which demonstrates the extent to which twins share the same characteristic
what is the theory on twin studies and genetics and behaviour?
If heredity (i.e., genetics) affects a given trait or behaviour, then identical twins should show a greater similarity for that trait compared to fraternal (non-identical) twins.
what are the two types of twins?
- Monozygotic = identical twins (share 100% genetic information).
- Dizygotic = non-identical twins (share 50% genetic information, similar to siblings).
what would we expect if a characteristic is genetic?
if a characteristic is genetic, we would expect all identical (monozygotic) twins to be concordant (they share 100% of the same genes)
how can concordance rates determine whether biological factors affect behaviour?
if concordance rates (which can range from 0 to 100) are significantly higher for identical twins than for fraternal twins, then this is evidence that genetics play an important role in the expression of that particular behaviour.
what is some evidence of genes having an influence on behaviour based on twin studies?
- the general population has a 2% prevalence rate for OCD
- first-degree relatives of people with OCD have a 10% concordance rate
- non identical (dizygotic) twins have a 31% and identical (monozygotic) twins have a 68% rate
- these higher rates in close family members suggest that genes do have an influence on behaviour
