Biological Approach

• Assumptions

  • suggests everything psychological is first biological, therefore must look at biological processes to fully understand human behaviour
• Neurochemical basis of behaviour

  • refers to chemical action within brain, occurs using neurotransmitters
  • imbalance of neurotransmitters linked to possible causes of mental illnesses
• Genetic basis of behaviour

  • use of twin studies, analysing concordance rates help show if traits are inherited genetically
• Genotype and phenotype

  • illustrates how much of human behaviour is down to interactions between inherited factors and environment
• Evolution and behaviour

  • natural selection showed how desired characteristics can be passed down generations
• Strength 1

  1. uses scientific methods of investigation - uses range of reliable/objective methods (fMRI/EEG) to accurately measure processes without bias, means biological approach is based on reliable and objective data
• Strength 2

  1. real-world application - increased understanding of neurochemical processes in brain is used in psychoactive drug treatment of mental illnesses
• Counterpoint 2

  1. doesn't work for everyone, Cipriani et al (2018) compared 21 antidepressant drugs and found wide variations in their effectiveness, challenges value of biological approach as it suggests brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases
• Limitation

  1. determinist - sees human behaviour as governed by internal, genetics, however person's phenotype is heavily influenced by environment, suggests biological approach is too simple and ignores influence of environment