Biological

• The biological approach suggests that everything psychological has a biological basis. So to fully understand human behaviour we must look to biological structures and processes within the body
• Basic assumptions are that behaviour is affected by:

  • Biological structures (brain)
  • Neurochemistry (neurotransmitters and hormones)
  • Genes
  • Evolution
• Biological structures - brain

  An understanding of brain structures and function can explain our thoughts and behaviour. From a biological perspective the mind lives in the brain meaning that all thoughts, feelings and behaviour ultimately have a physical basis.
• The brain

  • Frontal lobes - involved with functions such as speech, thought and learning
  • Parietal lobes - process sensory information such as touch, temperature and pain
  • Temporal lobes - involved with hearing and memory
  • Occipital lobes - process visual information
  • Cerebellum - responsible for coordination
  • Brain stem - controls involuntary movements
• Neurochemistry

  Neurotransmitters - these are chemical messengers in the brain which transmit messages between neurone.

  There are many different types involved in many different functions

  Biologists consider an imbalance of neurotransmitters to be an appropriate explanation of certain mental disorders
• Neurochemistry

  Hormones - these are chemicals produced by the endocrine system. They are released into the bloodstream where they travel to target cells altering their activity.

  Biologists condor that an imbalance of hormones could be responsible for certain behaviours
• Genes

  Geneticists study whether behavioural characteristics such as intelligence and personality are inherited in the same way as the physical characteristics

  One way of finding out the extent to which a characteristic is caused by genes is to use twin studies which use sets of monozygotic and dizygotic twins
• Genes

  Twin studies are used to determine the likelihood that certain traits have a genetic basis by comparing the concordance rates between pairs of twins

  If identical twins are found to have a higher concordance rate than non identical twins this would suggest a genetic basis
• Concordance rate - the degree to which if one twin has a condition, the other also has it.
• Genes

  Genotype - a persons actual genetic makeup

  Phenotype - the way that genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics. This expression is influence my environmental factors
• Evolution and behaviour - Charles Darwin

  Charles Darwin thereof natural selection suggested that any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individuals survival will continue in future generations.

  Such behaviours are called adaptive as hey enable the animal to adapt to its environment and survive
• Evolution

  In selection takes place naturally no one decides. The selection occurs simply because some traits give the possessor is more likely to survive, reproduce and pass on these traits. If the individual survives but does not reproduce the traits do not remain in the same gene pool.
• AO3 - scientific methods of investigation

  The biological approach uses scientific and objective methods of investigation which are not open to bias. This means that the biological approach is based on reliable data
• AO3 - real life application

  Has lead to practical applications, for example an increased understanding of biochemical processes in the brain has led to the development of psychoactive drugs that treat serious mental conditions
• AO3 - cause or effect?

  The neurochemical and brain explanations of behaviour within the approach are difficult to prove as it is difficult to establish if abnormality in a brain area or neurotransmitters are a cause or behaviour or a result of it
• AO3 - cannot separate nature and nurture

  The genetic part is also difficult to separate out whether similarities between MZ and DZ twins are due to genetics (nature) or similar environments and experiences (nurture)
• AO3 - deterministic

  Sees behaviour as being governed by internal, biological causes over which we have no control over. This allows us no free will and so the approach is biologically and hard deterministic
• AO3 - implications for wider society

  Legal system - one of the rules of law is that offenders are seen as morally and legally responsible for their actions. If according the the biological approach our behaviour is chosen for us and we are the product of our genetic code, this goes against the idea that we have free will in our actions
• AO3 - reductionist

  The approach is biologically reductionist as it reduces the explanation of all behaviour down to biological processes like genetics

  It ignores the wider role of other factors