biological

• key assumption


  all behaviour is controlled by biological/ physiological causes (e.g genes, biochemistry, neurotransmitters etc)
• people

  darwin- evolution
• theories 


  • genotype/ phenotype
  • twin/family/adoption studies or selective breeding
  • predisposition
  • evolution - natural selection and sexual selection
• genotype 


  set of genes individual has
• phenotype 


  anatomical features/ observed traits
• genotype + environment = phenotype
• twin studies

  • mz twins have 100% same dna, so if a trait is genetic their concordance rate would be 100%.
  • dz twins would show lower concordance rates, as they share 50% dna
• predisposition 


  the person carry's the particular gene, but needs an environmental stimulus/ trigger to switch the gene on, and develop the condition
• natural selection 


  selection/ survival of the fittest, due to environmental pressures (such as short giraffes dying because a bad season means only short trees grow, meaning everyone is eating the short trees. short giraffes will die and tall will survive to pass on long neck genes)
• sexual selection 


  only the strongest animals can reproduce (lions- fight/ compete to win a female, peacocks- biggest feathers win the female as it shows they are strong due to feathers being heavy)
• evolution

  changes in inherited characteristics in a biological population over successive generations
• evolution 


  animals with particular traits, more likely to survive and reproduce, so pass on 'adaptive traits' to offspring

  behaviours need to adapt to environment animal lives in, but is dependent on:

  • principle of diversity
  • principle of interaction
  • principle of differential amplification
• principle of diversity 


  variety within a species
• principle of interaction 


  how this variety of species adapt and fit in with the environment (e.g animals that breathe air can't permanently live underwater)
• principle of differential amplification 


  • those who adapt to their environment will reproduce
  • those who don't, will die out
• scientific method 


  uses experimental method- highly controlled experiment, so can be replicated by other researchers. if reproduced, adds validity to original findings
• high understanding of biochemical processes 


  allowed development of psychoactive drugs, to treat mental illnesses such as depression. revolutionalised treatment for many, so can live relatively normal life and not remain in hospital
• reductionist approach 


  lose insight into complexity of cause of condition and therefore lose validity of explanation
• reductionism 


  complex behaviour, explained by breaking down into its small component parts (e.g genes)
• free will 


  determinist approach- human behaviour governed by internal, biological causes which we have no control.

  but as we have free will (and the 'criminal gene') it complicates this principle
• adoption studies 


  • comparing traits or characteristics between adopted children and biological or adoptive parents
  • separating nature and nurture