Biological Approach

• What is monozygote?

  One zygote (fertilised egg) - these twins are formed when a fertilised cell splits into two and forms two separate embryos.
• What is Dizygotic?

  Two zygotes (fertilised eggs) - these twins are formed when two separate eggs both become fertilised by different sperm cells.
• What is a Zygote?

  A fertilised egg.
• Adoption Studies

  These studies involve comparing a trait or characteristics between adopted children and their biological or adoptive parents.
• Twin Studies

  • Concordance rates (agreement between) - extent to which twins share similar traits or characteristics.
  • I.e. there should be 100% concordance rates between MZ twins if a particular characteristic/ trait is a purely genetic one.
  • Dz twins will show lower concordance rates as they are not identical.
  • Comparisons can be made between twins raised together and twins raised apart.
• Genetic Basis

  • There is evidence from twin, family and adoption studies to suggest certain behaviours. For example, intelligence is genetically determined.
  • Research has shown that the environment can play a role in determining behaviour than genetics.
  • Selective breeding studies have demonstrated how a number of behavioural characteristics. For example, aggression can have a genetic basis.
• What is a genotype?

  Genes determine the ‘potential’ for characteristics.
• What is a Phenotype?

  The observable characteristic of an individual will depend on the interaction with the environment. The genotype is the genetic programming that provides a phenotype.
• Natural Selection

  • Any genetically determined behaviour will continue in future generations.
  • Selection can take place naturally for desirable characteristics.
  • Possessor is more likely to survive, reproduce and pass on traits.
  • Animals pass on their ‘adaptive traits’ to their offspring.
• What is the Principles of Diversity?

  Variety within a species.
• What is Interaction?

  How the variety of species adapt and fit in with the environment.
• What is Differential Amplification?

  • Those who adapt to their environment will reproduce.
  • Those who don’t adapt to their environment will die out.
• What is associated with the increased understanding of neurochemical processes in the brain?

  The use of psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders
• How does the biological approach promote the treatment of clinical depression?

  By using antidepressant drugs that increase serotonin levels
• What neurotransmitter's levels are increased by antidepressant drugs in the treatment of depression?

  Serotonin
• What types of methods does the biological approach use for investigation?

  A range of precise and highly objective methods
• What is associated with the increased understanding of neurochemical processes in the brain?

  The use of psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders
• How have advances in technology impacted the biological approach's methods of investigation?

  They allow for accurate measurement of physiological and neural processes
• How does the biological approach promote the treatment of clinical depression?

  By using antidepressant drugs that increase serotonin levels at synapses
• What neurotransmitter is increased by antidepressant drugs in the treatment of clinical depression?

  Serotonin
• What is a key characteristic of the data used in the biological approach?

  It is mostly based on objective and reliable data
• What type of methods does the biological approach use for investigation?


  A range of precise and highly objective methods
• What is the significance of scanning techniques in the biological approach?

  They allow accurate measurement of physiological and neural processes without bias
• Why is most of the biological approach based on objective and reliable data?

  Because it uses precise and highly objective methods of investigation
• Challenges of Biological Approach

  • depressant drugs don’t work for everyone. Cipriani compared 21 antidepressant drugs and found wide variations in their effectiveness. This challenges the value of the biological approach as it suggests that brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases.
  • Determinist - it sees human behaviour as governed by internal, genetic causes we have no control over. Individual’s genotype is influenced by the environment. This suggests the biological view is too simplistic and ignores the mediating effects of the environment.