Biological Approach

Question 1

What is the main assumption of the biological approach

Answer 1

Everything psychological is at first biological

Question 2

ASMPTN-What does the biological approach investigation

Answer 2

how biological processes and structures within the body impact behaviour

Question 3

ASMPTN - What does the biological approach believe about much of human behaviour

has an x cause whihc may be xxx

Answer 3

has a physiological cause

which

may be genetically/environmentally altered

Question 4

ASMPTN -What does the biological approach say about genes

Answer 4

genes affet behaviour

and

influence individual psychological difference between people

Question 5

AS- what does evolutionary psychology consider

x influences in x x

Answer 5

genetic influences in common behaviours

Question 6

ASMPTN - what does 3 things does the biological approach think psychologists should study

Answer 6

brain

NS

and other biological systems e.g chemicals ,hormones acting on the brain

Question 7

What is another key assumption of the BA about brian

Answer 7

Mind lives in the brain

so all thoughts , feelings and behaviours

ultimatley have a physical basis

Question 8

How does -

Mind lives in the brain so all thoughts , feelings and behaviours ultimatley have a physical basis -

contrast to the cognitive approach

Answer 8

cog approach sees mental processes of the mind

as being seperate from the physical brain

Question 9

GBOB - what are psychologists intersted in determining and trying to find evidence for

extent to which….
e.g
are a product of x or x x

Answer 9

extent to which certain behaviours or qcharacteristics

e.g intelligence

are a product of inheritance(genes) or environmental influences

Question 10

GBOB- define genotype

Answer 10

particular set of genes a person possesses

Question 11

GBOB- define phenotype

Answer 11

observable characteristics of an individual

determined by genes and the interaction of this with the environment

Question 12

GBOB- define genes

Answer 12

basic units of heredity

Question 13

GBOB-What provides the basis for genetic variability

genes function in …
certain type of process of genes from xx provides basis for ..

Answer 13

genes function in pairs

recombo genes from parents to offspring provides the basis for genetic variability

Question 14

GBOB-What is an individuals phenotype determined by

Answer 14

Genotype

Question 15

GBOB-Where can evidence for whether psychological characteristics e.g intelligence are inheried in the same way height/eye colout are

Answer 15

family studies
twin studies
adoption studies

Question 16

GBOB-What has research shown about the environment in relation to genes

Answer 16

enviro can play a bigger role in determining behaviour than genetics

Question 17

GBOB- What have selective breeding studies shown:

how a # of x x can have a xxx

Answer 17

how a number of behaviour characteristics e.g aggresion can have a genetic basis/bias

Question 18

ASMPTN - what 2 biological things must we fully look at to understand human behaviour

Answer 18

biological structures and processes within the body to understand human behaviour

Question 19

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - define evolution

Answer 19

changes
inherited characteristics
in a biological population
over succesive generations

Question 20

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - whats fancy about genes in evolution

Answer 20

genes are mechanisms in which evolution takes place

Question 21

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - what are the two main concepts

Answer 21

natural selection

sexual selection

Question 22

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - define natural selection

Answer 22

animals w particular traits: provide an evolutionary advantage

survive

pass traits from gen to gen whilst others which don’t die out

Question 23

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - what are twin studies used for

Answer 23

investigate whether certain psychological characteristics have a genetic basis

Question 24

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES genetic basis of behviour - how are twin studies investigated

Answer 24

analysing concordance rates

Question 25

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - what are concordance rates

Answer 25

extent which twins share same characteristics (degree of similarity)

Question 26

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - Define monozygtic

Answer 26

2wins formed when fertilised cell splits into 2 + forms 2wo seperate embryos so share 100% of same genes identical

Question 27

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - Define dizygotic

Answer 27

twins formed when 2wo SEPERATE eggs both become fertilised by DIFFERENT sperm cells share about 50% same genes non identical

Question 28

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - if characteristics is genetic what's expected

Answer 28

MONOZYGOTIC TWINS TO BE CONCORDANT as they share 100% of the same genes DIZYGOTIC TWINS to show lower concordance rates

Question 29

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - if characteristics is genetic what's expected continued ...... what is assumed

Answer 29

environment assumed to be constant

Question 30

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - what can be made betwen twins

Answer 30

Comparisons can be made between twins raised together and twins raised apart

Question 31

INFLUENCE OF GENES/TWIN STUDIES - What are identical twins a good example of and why

Answer 31

interaction between inheritance/genotype and the environment they have same genetic makeup and look alike but posess different phenotypes any differences you may say btwn them may be due to differences in experience/environment

Question 32

EVALUATION - Strength - real world application

Answer 32

a strenght of the bio approach is that it has many real world applications drug therapies have been developed for many mental illnesses based on research into neurotransmitters e.g AD work to increase serotonin levels in the brain, based on the understanding of how low levels of serotonin contribute to depressive symptoms so by understaning abnormal neurochemical activity in the brain has not been only helpful for developing treatments but has also provided patients with an explanation that their illness isn't their fault

Question 33

EVALUATION - counterargument - Limitation - AD drugs dont work for everyone

Answer 33

although AD successful for many patients dont owrk for everyone study compared 21 different AD and found wide variations in their effectiveness Although most > effective than placebos in comparitive trials researchers concluded effects of AD mainly modest THIS CHALLENGES VALUE OF BA as suggets brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases of , for exmaple depression

Question 34

EVALUATION - Strength - Scientific Method

Answer 34

uses scientific methods of investigation to investigate genetic and biological basis of behav bio approach makes use of a range of precise and highly objective methods e.g FMRI With advances in technology it's possible to accuratley measure physiological & neural processes in ways not open to bias MEANS MUCH OF APPROACH BASED ON OBJECTIVE AND RELIABLE DATA

Question 35

EVALUATION - WEAKNESS - BIOLOGICALLY DETERMINISTIC

Answer 35

A weakness of this approach is that biological explanations of human behaviour may be considered deterministic e.g one assumption of bio approach is some human behaviours are the result of evolution : they max our chances of survival and repproduction and thus are naturally selected and inherited from our ancestors such evolutionary calims are used to explain a variety of gender differences in human behaviour including aggression and stress. These imply humans have little control over their behaviour and suggest we are predetermined to act in a certain way regardless of experience, free will or the environment this is problematic for those who dont follow typical or expected behaviours and overemphasises the role of nature on behaviour. It is also an explanation thats unfalsifiable and thus incapable of scientific validation

Question 36

NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR - What does neurochemistry refer to

Answer 36

actions of chemicals in the brain

Question 37

NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR - neural refers to

Answer 37

brain

Question 38

NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR -what does much of our thought and behaviour rey on

Answer 38

chemical transmission in the brain

Question 39

NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR - how does chemical transmission occur

Answer 39

using neurotransmitters

Question 40

NEUROCHEMICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOUR - What has been implicated as a possible cause of mental disorder

Answer 40

imbalances of neurochemical s in the brain e.g overproduction of dopamine in schizo

Question 41

GENOTYPE PHENOTYPE - despite having same genes the way identical twins phenotype is

Answer 41

different

Question 42

GENOTYPE PHENOTYPE - what idea does identical twins having the same gene but different phenotypes illustrate regarding what biologicla psychologists would accept

Answer 42

much of human behaviour depends upon an interaction between inhereted factors (nature) and environment (nurture)

Question 43

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - the evlution of animals and plants is a

Answer 43

fact period

Question 44

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - charles darwin proposed a theory called

Answer 44

natural selection

Question 45

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - what is the main principle of natural selection

Answer 45

any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individuals survival and reproduction will continue in fiture generations

Question 46

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - selective breeding is an example of natural selection explain through use of a famer

Answer 46

farmer selects which animals to use for further breeding - the one that possess desirable charcatersitics e.g cow with high milk yield this means his stock will become progressivley better milk producers

Question 47

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - in terms of selective breeding how does this selection take place

Answer 47

naturally - no one decides

Question 48

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - explain further why selection occurs naturaly simply because ..

Answer 48

some traits give the possesor advantages theerfore possesr is more likely to survive , reproduce and pass on these traits

Question 49

EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOUR - in natural selection if individual with advantageous traits survives but doesnt produce what happens

Answer 49

traits dont remain in hte gene pool for successive generations