AO3 Biological Approach

• Strengths: Uses scientific method

  Uses highly controlled environments: scans, drug trials, PET and fMRI scans. These methods are objective looking at aspects that rely on direct experience. They are also highly replicable methods so others can test ideas. This puts psychology on equal footing with other sciences (easy to replicate and test for reliability).
• Strengths: Use scientific method

  However, an issue with a lot of methods used, in particular on areas of functioning and chemicals is that they may not show causation. The methods show what is happening but may not explain why.
• Strengths: Useful applications

  Useful applications to treatment of psychological disorders. Predictions about neurotransmitters = increase of medication like anti-psychotics and antidepressants, SSRIs.

  Drug treatments have been developed to correct chemical imbalances to minimise symptoms.

  Julien et al also found that SSRIs were effective for 50-80% of OCD patients who take them. This therefore allows them to live relatively normal lives (which has had impacts on people and the economy).
• Strengths: Useful application

  However there are issues with drug use: tolerance and dependency. Taking drugs for a long period of time can cause psychological dependencies and also tolerances to be built up towards the drug meaning higher dosages are required to achieve the same effect.
• Weakness: Reductionist

  The biological approach ignores other factors. It focuses on the role of biology in behaviour, ignoring the influences of the environment for example.

  Reductionist- breaks down behaviour into its smallest component parts such as genes, neurotransmitters and hormones. E.g depression is due to low levels of serotonin, OCD is a mutation in the hSERT gene.

  This ignores the other factors that could influence behaviour (social, cognitive and cultural).
• Weakness: Reductionist

  However, reductionism is scientific and parsimonious.
• Weakness: Deterministic

  Biological determinism: behaviour is determined by biological factors that we cannot control, biopsychologists ignore the role of free will and choice in behaviour.
• Weakness: Deterministic

  However, the biological approach allows for prediction and control of behaviour so therefore drug treatments are more effective.