The biological approach Flashcards
Assumptions
Biological approach
Suggests everything psychological is at first biological so to fully understand human behaviour we must look to bio structures & processes w/in the body
From bio perspective, the mind lives in brain - all thoughts, feelings & behaviour have a physical basis
Contrasts cog app that sees mental processes of mind as being separate from physical brain
Neurochemical basis of behaviour
Biological approach
Neurochemistry refers to action of chemicals on brain
Much of our thought & behaviour relies on chemical transmission in brain
Occurs using neurotransmitters
Imbalance of neurochemicals in brain has been implicated as possible cause of mental disorder
E.g. low serotonin in OCD & overproduction of DA in SZ
Genetic basis of behaviour
Biological approach
Psychological characteristics (i.e. intelligence) are inherited in same way as height or eye colour
Twin studies used to investigate whether certain psychological characteristics have genetic basis
Achieved by analysing concordance rates
If characteristic is genetic we would expect all monozygotic twins to be concordant
Whereas same would not be true for dizygotic twins who share 50% of genes
In both cases environment is assumed to be constant
Genotype & Phenotype
Biological approach
Genotype is the genetic makeup whereas phenotype is way genese are expressed through physical, behavioural & psychological characteristics
Despite having same genes, monozygotic twins have diff phenotypes
Illustrates what many bio psychologists would accept, much of human behaviour depends upon interaction between inherited factors & environment
Evolution & Behaviour
Biological approach
Main principle of natural selection is that any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individual’s survival will continue in future generations
Happens in a similar way to farmer deciding which animals to use for breeding
In nature, this selection takes place ‘naturally’
The possessor is more likely to survive, reproduce & pass on these traits
if individual survives but does not reproduce, traits do not remain in gene pool
Evaluation: Real-world application
Biological approach
Strength: app has real-world application
Increased understanding of neurochemical process in brain is associated w/ use of psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders
E.g. bio app has promoted treatment of clinical depp using antidepressant drugs that increase levels of serotinin at synapses in brain
Therefore, people w/ depp may be better able to manage their condition & live their lives
Evaluation: Real-world application (Counterpoint)
Biological approach
However, antidepressant drugs don’t work for everyone
Cipriani et al compared 21 antidepressant drugs & found wide variations in their effectiveness
Most drugs were more effective than placebos in comparative trials
Researchers concluded effects of antidepressants were ‘mainly modest’
Therefore, challenges value of bio app as it suggests brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases of depression
Evaluation: Scientific methods
Biological approach
Strength: uses scientific methods of investigation
In order to investigate genetic & bio basis of behaviour, bio app makes use of range of precise & highly objective methods
Includes scanning techniques such as fMRIs & EEGs
W/ advances in technology, it is possible to measure physiological & neural processes in ways that are not open to bias
Therefore, much of the bio app is based on objective & reliable data
Evaluation: Biological determinism
Biological approach
Limit: determinist
Bio app sees human behaviour as governed by internal, genetic causes over which we have no control
However, they way in which someone’s genotype is expressed is heavily influenced by environment
Monozygotic twins who share genes don’t look or think the same
Purely genetic arguement becomes problematic when considering crime and the ‘crime gene’
Therefore, bio view is too simplistic & ignores mediating effect of environment
