Biological approach

• What does the behaviorist approach focus on in terms of learning?

  Learning through nurture
• What was a consistent finding in the Bobo doll study regarding aggression?

  Boys showed more aggression than girls
• What biological factor is linked to aggression in boys?

  Higher testosterone levels
• What is a more holistic explanation for behavior according to the study material?

  • Some behavior is due to observational learning
  • Some behavior is due to biological processes
• What does the biological approach suggest about the causes of behavior?

  All behaviors are caused by nature
• What are some factors mentioned in the biological approach that influence behavior?

  Genes, neurotransmitters, and hormones
• What do biological psychologists use to investigate the role of genetics in behavior?

  Twin studies
• What does a higher concordance rate between identical twins suggest?

  The behavior is largely genetic
• What was the concordance rate for depression in MZ twins found by McGuffin et al. (1996)?

  46%
• What was the concordance rate for depression in DZ twins found by McGuffin et al. (1996)?

  20%
• What is the distinction between genotype and phenotype?

  • Genotype: genetic makeup of an individual
  • Phenotype: physical characteristics expressed due to gene-environment interaction
• How do biological psychologists believe behaviors have evolved?

  Due to natural selection
• Why do many people automatically fear heights today according to biological psychologists?

  Our ancestors that avoided high places survived
• What are the strengths of the biological approach?

  • Useful applications in drug treatments
  • Scientific methods support explanations
• How does the biological approach explain OCD?

  It is caused by problems with neurotransmitters like serotonin
• What do SSRIs do in the treatment of OCD?

  Prevent the reabsorption of serotonin
• What is a strength of using scientific methods in the biological approach?

  It provides reliable data and is falsifiable
• What techniques do psychologists use to measure biological and neural processes?

  Scanning techniques like fMRI and EEG
• What did Dement and Kleitman use to record brain activity during sleep?

  EEG machines
• What is a limitation of the biological approach regarding free will?

  It argues there is no free will in behavior
• What does biological determinism imply about behaviors like aggression?

  They are caused by biological factors outside of our control
• What is a weakness of biological determinism in terms of personal responsibility?

  It removes responsibility for people's actions