Biological Approach

Question 1

What are genetics?

Answer 1

The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.

Question 2

What are the two types of twins?

Answer 2

Identical twins are called Monozygotic twins (MZ) and share 100% of their genes.

Non-identical twins are called Dizygotic twins (DZ) and share 50% of their genes.

DZ twins are no more alike than other siblings in terms of their DNA.

Question 3

How do behaviourist geneticists study whether behaviours are passed through our DNA?

Answer 3

Behaviourist geneticists study whether behaviours e.g. IQ, personality & mental disorders are passed through our DNA. Twin studies are used to determine this.
Used to look at concordance rates between twins.
If MZ (identical) twins were found to have higher concordance rates than DZ (non-identical) twins, this would suggest a genetic basis.

Question 4

What is concordance?

Answer 4

The extent to which both twins have the same characteristic.

Question 5

What is a phenotype?

Answer 5

The product of what happens when the individuals genotype interacts with the environment. For example, someone may have the genetic potential to experience depression however because they exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet, they avoid depression.

Question 6

What is a genotype?

Answer 6

An individual’s genetic make up. The genotype dictates characteristics such as eye colour and hair colour.

Question 7

What are the four lobes?

Answer 7

Occipital, temporal, frontal and parietal.

Question 8

What’s the occipital lobe?

Answer 8

Function: Vision
Damage: Visual hallucinations

Question 9

What’s the temporal lobe?

Answer 9

Function: Memory, Speech
Damage: Memory loss, difficulty understanding speech.

Question 10

What’s the parietal lobe?

Answer 10

Function: Speech, Processing of sensory information
Damage: Speech difficulties, difficulties with right & left.

Question 11

What’s the frontal lobe?

Answer 11

Function: Motor function, thinking, reasoning, personality, emotion.
Damage: Personality changes, difficulties controlling emotion.

Question 12

What’s serotonin?

Answer 12

Directly linked to mood.
Low levels - linked to anxiety and depression.
SSRI’s increase levels of this.

Question 12

What are the neurotransmitters?

Answer 12

Serotonin and dopamine.

Question 12

What’s dopamine?

Answer 12

Directly linked to mood.
Regulates movement.
Pleasure receptors.
Experience low levels - try to get pleasure elsewhere e.g. risk-taking behaviours.

Question 13

What are the hormones?

Answer 13

Testosterone and adrenaline.

Question 14

What’s testosterone?

Answer 14

Makes you more aggressive and competitive.
Males have more.
Linked to hair growth.

Question 15

What’s adrenaline?

Answer 15

Prepares you for flight or fight.
Sensation seeking – taking risks.
Committing crimes eg. Stealing.

Question 16

What’s evolution?

Answer 16

The change in inherited characteristics over successive generations. Believed that certain behaviours are passed on through generations.

Question 17

What’s natural selection?

Answer 17

Linked to survival of the fittest. Those individuals who possess “desirable” characteristics/ behaviour is more likely to survive & reproduce.

Question 18

How is evolution and behaviour linked?

Answer 18

Most common phobia - snakes/spiders/ heights. Historically, these would have caused serious harm/death and those individuals who displayed fear would have been less likely to be put in danger - due to avoidance, increasing their survival. These phobias would then be passed onto their offspring to ensure their survival.

Question 19

What are the strengths of the biological approach?

Question 20

What are the limitations of the biological approach?