the biological approach

Question 1

assumptions of the biological approach

Answer 1

• All behaviour has a biological basis
• Our minds live in our brains
• Brings physiology and psychology back together

Question 2

approaches the biological approach opposes

Answer 2

• the behaviourist approach (behaviour is learnt vs from biology)
• humanist approach (rejects science vs scientific)
• the cognitive approach (soft vs hard determinism)

Question 3

heredity

Answer 3

the passing of characteristics from one generation to the next through genes

Question 4

hereditary

Answer 4

the idea that a particular trait (eg. illness) has been passed on

Question 5

genes

Answer 5

carry instructions for a particular characteristic (eg. temperament, etc)

Question 6

how characteristics are presented is based on…

Answer 6

1. interaction with other genes
2. interaction with the environment

Question 7

genotype

Answer 7

genetic code that is ‘written’ in the DNA of the individuals’ cells

Question 8

phenotype

Answer 8

the physical appearance that results from this inherited information
- different in identical twins due to environmental factors

Question 9

dominant gene

Answer 9

produces a dominant phenotype in individuals who have one copy of the gene which can come from just one parent

Question 10

recessive gene

Answer 10

to produce a recessive phenotype, the individual must have two copies, one from each parents

Question 11

monozygotic twins

Answer 11

• share 100% of their DNA
• environment can still affect appearance/phenotypes (diet, exercise, etc)

Question 12

dizygotic twins

Answer 12

• 50% of their genes are the same

Question 13

explanation of abnormal behaviour in the biological approach

Answer 13

• hormones
• genes
• neurotransmitters

Question 14

treatment of abnormal behaviour in the biological approach

Answer 14

drug therapy

Question 15

concordance rates

Answer 15

• the likelihood that a person will develop a characteristic, trait, or disorder given that another already has it.
• often expressed as percentages

Question 16

the nervous system (parts of it)

Answer 16

The nervous system is comprised of several connected systems:
- The central nervous system (CNS) comprises the brain and spinal cord
- The peripheral nervous system (PNS) comprises the somatic and automatic nervous systems

Question 17

functions of nerves and the nervous system

Answer 17

The nervous system carries messages from one part of the body to another using individual nerve cells known as neurons. Neurons transmit nerve impulses in the form of electrical signals. Many aspects of behaviour are under neuronal control including breathing, eating, and sexual behaviour.

Question 18

the cerebrum

Answer 18

• The largest part of the brain is the cerebrum, making up about 85% of the total mass of the brain.
• The outer surface of the cerebrum is called the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for many of the ‘higher-order’ functions such as thought and language. - The cerebrum is divided into two halves (known as hemispheres), with each hemisphere further divided into four different parts known as lobes

Question 19

the four lobes of each hemisphere

Answer 19

• frontal lobes (involved with functions such as speech, thought, and learning)
• temporal lobes (involved with hearing and memory)
• parietal lobes (process sensory information such as touch, temperature, and pain)
• occipital lobes (process visual information)

Question 20

neurotransmitters

Answer 20

When a nerve impulse reaches the end of one neuron, a chemical called a neurotransmitter is released. It travels from one neuron to the next across a junction called the synapse.
- There are many different types of neurotransmitter for example excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters
- Crockett et al. research

Question 21

excitatory neurotransmitters

Answer 21

• trigger nerve impulses in the receiving neuron and stimulate the brain into action
  eg. dopamine, associated without our ‘drive’ or motivation

Question 22

inhibitory neurotransmitters

Answer 22

• inhibit nerve impulses in order to calm the brain and balance mood
  eg. serotonin which is necessary to maintain a stable mood

Question 23

Crockett et al.

Answer 23

(2008) found that when serotonin levels are low people tend to display increased aggression.

Question 24

what are hormones/how do they work/what do they do?

Answer 24

• chemicals that are produced by endocrine glands such as the pituitary gland, which together make up the endocrine system.
• In response to a signal from the brain, hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands, where they travel to their ‘target cells’ and exert their influence by stimulating receptors on the of or inside cells.
• The presence of a hormone causes a physiological reaction in the cell, altering its activity.
• For example, Carré et al. (2006)

Question 25

Carré et al.

Answer 25

- hormones - Carré et al. (2006) studied a Canadian ice hockey team over the course of the season. They found evidence of a surge in levels of the hormone testosterone whenever the team played in their home stadium, suggesting the hormone energised the players to defend their home territory.

Question 26

evolution and behaviour

Answer 26

- Charles Darwin (natural selection) - individuals in a species differ both in terms of physical characteristics and behaviour, at least some of this variation is inherited - because individuals must compete for resources, behaviours that help individuals to survive and go on to reproduce are passed down - these behaviours become more widespread in the population through natural selection - Buss research

Question 27

Buss research

Answer 27

- for evolution and behaviour - Buss (1989) studied 37 different cultures and found universal similarities in human mate preferences. - Women desired mates with resources (to provide for offspring) whilst men desired young, physically attractive women (an indication or their fertility and reproduction value).

Question 28

parts of a neuron

Answer 28

- nucleus, dendrite, cell body - axon, nodes of ranvier, myelin sheath, Schwann cell - axon terminals

Question 29

evolution example

Answer 29

pepper moths - black/darker ones were rare - during the industrial rev. when pollution was high there was a dramatic increase in the population of darker coloured pepper moths - as pollution decreased again post the industrial rev. the population of lighter pepper moths once again overtook

Question 30

example that shows the difference between genotype and phenotype

Answer 30

PKU or phenylketonuria - a rare but potentially serious inherited disorder - it is detected in babies through a heel prick test - if left unchecked, PKU can cause severe learning difficulties in those who carry the genotype. - However, if detected early enough, it can be treated through a special diet This demonstrates the difference between genotype and phenotype - the child has the genetic factor for PKU but with manipulation of environmental factors, it can be treated. The gene is not necessarily expressed.

Question 31

the biological approach - deterministic

Answer 31

- behaviour is governed by internal, biological processes over which we have no control - responsibility and choices

Question 32

the biological approach - reductionist

Answer 32

- breaks complex behaviour down into component parts such as genes, hormones, etc. - overly simplistic because it misses out on the bigger picture

Question 33

the biological approach - scientific

Answer 33

- highly scientific and precise methods such as brain scanning or twin studies, ^ internal validity

Question 34

the biological approach - nature/nurture

Answer 34

- it is hard to separate nature and nurture - although concordance rates demonstrate that identical twins have a higher similarity in likelihood of conditions (eg. schizophrenia), this might not be entirely due to genetics - identical twins tend to share their environment completely and often get treated the same so the findings could be supporting nurture and not necessarily nature - non-identical twins having a higher concordance rate than pairs of ordinary siblings can also be explained by nurture as they share the same about of genes as siblings

Question 35

evaluation of the biological approach - evolution

Answer 35

- much of evolutionary research is performed on animals, humans and animals are very different biologically so we can't necessarily generalise between them - explains physical characteristics well but we are interested in human behaviour which is harder to prove; we are still making assumptions and inferring - can evolutionary research (which is very old) still be used today when everything has changed since then? - may lack temporal validity - anachronistic

Question 36

anachronistic

Answer 36

doesn't represent behaviour of the current time, lacking in temporal validity