biological approach

• how is the biological approach still important today


  due to the advancements in technology, such as brain scans and our increased understanding of genes and behaviour
• the main assumption of the biological approach


  • everything psychological (behaviour/thoughts/emotions) is caused by something biological
  • to understand behaviour, we must look at the biological structures and processes within the body
• what biological structures are within our body


  • genes : make up chromosomes and DNA, transmitted from parents to offspring's and behaviours may be inherited
  • neurochemistry : the chemicals in the brain can affect behaviour
  • nervous system : messages are passed around the nervous system which affects behaviour
  • endocrine system : glands secrete hormones that affect behaviour
• explain the genetic basis of behaviour


  • behaviour geneticist study whether behaviours are inherited in the same way that eye colour is
  • through twin studies to tell us if a behaviour/trait has a genetic basis
  • where concordance rates are studied to tell us the likelihood of a trait having a genetic basis(the higher the%, the more likely the behaviour/trait has a genetic basis)
• what percent do monozygotic twins share according to concordance rates


  100%
• what percent do dizygotic twins share according to concordance rates 


  50%, same with siblings
• explain what difference between the concordance rates between MZ twins and DZ twins show


  that genes determine behaviour to some extent bubt other factors must be important too
• what is a genotype


  a persons genetic makeup
• what is a phenotype


  how the genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics - it's affected/influenced by the environment
• how does evolution support the biological approach on behaviour


  • any genetically determined behaviour ensures and promotes survival will be passed onto future generations
  • where the 'best behaviours' are selected 'naturally' as they are most likely to survive
  • the behaviours that are adapted to suit the environment and do not promote survival, die out.
  • the person who possess the traits/behaviour that suits the environment best, are more likely to survive, reproduce and then pass these onto the next generation
• examples of good survival traits

  • intelligence, teamwork and using tools
  • aggression is an important survival trait, which is why the limbic system and hormones produce aggression. Too little aggression and you do not get to eat or produce, too much of it and your are killed
• a strength of the evaluation of the biological appraoch - scientific


  • uses scientific methods of investigation
  • research includes a wide range of technology including fMRI scans as well as family and twin studies
  • this suggests that results are highly objective and are not open to biased interpretation, meaning the data is reliable
• a strength of the evaluation of the biological approach - real life application


  • there are real life applications
  • increased understanding of neurotransmitters has led to the development of drug treatments for mental disorders such as anti-depressants for depression
  • this is a strength because it has led to improved living conditions for patients being able to manage their condition and maintain a normal life
• a weakness of the evaluation of the biological approach - nature v nurture


  • it is difficult to separate nature from nurture (genes from the environment)
  • family members (twins,parents) all share genetic similarities. HOWEVER, they also share the same environment. This approach cannot explain why concordance rates are often higher for DZ twins than ordinary twins, even though they have 50% shared genes
  • this sugggests thatt behaviour could just as easily be interpreted as nurture as it could genes
• a weakness of the evaluation of the biological approach - deterministic


  • this approach is determinist
  • it views behaviour as caused by internal factors that we have no control over. This allows people to blame genetics for undesirable behaviours, such as aggression
  • this is a problem because it has important implications for society if we allow a person to blame their genetics for behaviour, without accepting any responsibility