The Biological Approach

• What are the main assumptions of the biological approach? 


  • Genetics- every person has around 100,000 genes and individuals have a unique genotype
  • The Central Nervous System (CNS)- most actions and reactions come from the CNS so the functioning of the brain is studied in relation to behaviour
  • Chemistry of the body - neurotransmitters + hormones influence a persons reactions so determine a lot of behaviour
  • Evolution - considers if behaviours we see today may have once helped us to survive / reproduce, theory of natural selection suggests some behaviour may be passed to future generations
• What is meant by inheritance?

  The passing of characteristics from one generation to the next through genes.
• What are genes?

  • carry an instruction for a characteristic e.g. Intelligence, temperament.
  • How this characteristic develops depends on ha the gene interacts with other genes and how the environment interacts with the expression of genes.
• What is a persons genotype?


  • Their genetic make-up which occurs at conception
  • Provides unique genetic code for how each individual will develop
• What is a persons phenotype ?


  The way the genes are expressed through physical, behavioural + psychology characteristics
• Why will only some genes in the genotype be expressed in the phenotype ?


  Depends on how environmental factors influence them
• The biological approach - strengths


  • real world application
  • The understanding of neurochemical processes in the brain has led to psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders
  • E.g. To treat clinical depression -uses scientific methods
• The biological approach weaknesses 


  • deterministic
  • They see human behaviour as governed by internal, genetic causes that we have no control over
  • The way the genotype is expressed in the phenotype is heavily influenced by the environment not just biological factors
  • Too simplistic