Biological Approach

• Evolution: natural selection - better adapted survive
• Evolution - driven by desire to survive and reproduce
• Genotype - what genes you have
• Phenotype - visible characteristics; the behaviour resulting form your genes and the environment
• Candidate genes - the specific genes implicated in your behaviour
• Genetics - having the gene is not enough to have the behaviour
• Neuroanatomy - the design and structure of the brain
• Raine (1997) - used PET scans to identify areas of murderers brains; found reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus and found abnormal asymmetries (reduced activity on the left and greater activity in the right hemisphere)
• High or low levels of neurotransmitters cause different disorders
• GABA - lessens ability of a nerve cell to receive, create or send chemical messages to other nerve cells creating a calming effect
• Adrenaline - increases heart rate and breathing rate to prepare body for fight or flight but can make a person restless or irritable if no danger present
• Serotonin - factor in mood, sleep, digestion, nausea and sexual desire