Biological approach

Question 1

Biological Approach

Answer 1

How natural factors e.g. genes, affect a persons behaviour

Question 2

Factors that affect behaviour

Answer 2

Genes, Central nervous system, hormones/neurochemistry

Question 3

Key assumptions of the biological approach

Answer 3

Behaviour is influences by central nervous system, genes and neurochemistry

Behaviour is a product of evolution

Question 4

Neuroanatomy

Answer 4

Refers to structure of the brain and nervous system

Divided into two halves called hemispheres

Question 5

Brain structure - Lateralisation of function

Answer 5

How certain regions of the brain perform specific functions on one side of the brain or the other

Question 6

Central Nervous System

Answer 6

Made up of the brain and spinal cord. Receives sensory information from nervous system and controls body’s responses

Question 7

The brain

Answer 7

controls functions such as sensation, movement thought, awareness and memory

Question 8

The spinal cord

Answer 8

connects to the brain through the brain stem and then down through the spinal canal. Spinal cord carries information from various parts of the body to and from the brain

Question 9

Frontal lobe

Answer 9

Regulates emotions and thoughts

Question 10

Parietal Lobe

Answer 10

Multitasks and responsible for sensory integration. Activated each time a thought changes

Question 11

Temporal Lobe

Answer 11

Tells you what you hear. Helps you keep your balance

Question 12

Brain stem

Answer 12

Regulate heart rate, breathing, sleeping and eating

Question 13

Cerebellum

Answer 13

control coordination and balance. Enables talking, walking etc. without thinking about it

Question 14

Optical lobe

Answer 14

Tells you what you see

Question 15

What is neurochemistry?

Answer 15

The activity of substances in the nervous system

Question 16

What is a neuron?

Answer 16

Cells in the nervous system which processes and sends information within the body

Question 17

Sensory Neuron

Answer 17

Receives messages from senses
Touch
Light
Sound

Question 18

Motor Neurons

Answer 18

Muscle Movement

Question 19

Relay Neurons

Answer 19

Carry messages around the CNS and connect between sensory and motor neurones

Question 20

Brain plasticity

Answer 20

Brains ability to reorganise its structure in response to learning and experience

Question 21

Functional Plasticity

Answer 21

Brains ability to compensate for damaged areas after trauma

Question 22

What are hormones?

Answer 22

Chemicals that are transported around the body through the bloodstream

Question 23

Neurotransmitters

Answer 23

Chemical messages of the CNS

Question 24

Neurotransmitters

Answer 24

Allow communication between nerve cells in the brain and nervous system

Question 25

Oestrogen

Answer 25

Main female sex hormones that controls the development of female reproductive organs, secondary sexual characteristics and the menstrual cycle

Question 26

Testosterone

Answer 26

Development of male reproductive organs Linked to aggression

Question 27

Adrenaline

Answer 27

Increases rates of blood circulation, breathing and metabolism. Fight or flight response

Question 28

Dopamine

Answer 28

Helps coordination of body movements and is also involved in reward, pleasure and motivation. Plays a role in addiction

Question 29

Serotonin

Answer 29

Regulates mood, sleep, anxiety, sexuality and appetite

Question 30

Peripheral nervous system

Answer 30

Collection of nerves that run from spinal cord to many parts of body Two subsystems: The somatic branch The autonomic branch

Question 31

The sensory branch

Answer 31

Delivers messages to the brain from the sense organs

Question 32

The motor branch

Answer 32

sends signals from CNS to control voluntary movements of muscles

Question 33

The sympathetic division

Answer 33

Activates psychological arousal

Question 34

The parasympathetic division

Answer 34

Bring the body back to original resting state

Question 35

Natural selection

Answer 35

Allows them to gain the most resources to survive in the environment they inhabit to survive longer. More likely to pass down genes through generations E.g. the peppered moth

Question 36

Genome Lag

Answer 36

World around us changes quicker than the enviroment our bodies and brains are used to

Question 37

Sexual orientation

Answer 37

Focused on adaptations for successful mating

Question 38

Dendrites

Answer 38

Area where the neurons receive most of their information

Question 39

What is at the base of the brain?

Answer 39

The brain stem - controls basic functions such as breathing and sleeping and connects the brain to the spinal cord