The Biological Approach

• The Biological Approach

  An approach which emphasises the importance of physical processes in the body e.g genetic inheritance and neural function
• Assumptions of the biological approach

  • Everything psychological is first biological
  • we must look at biological structures and processes to understand behaviour
  • the mind lives in the brain
  • chemical processes in the brain are responsible for psychological functioning
  • humans have biologically evolved, still share features with animals
• What are twin studies used for?

  Determining the likelihood that certain traits have a genetic basis, by comparing the concordance rates
• What are identical twins called?

  monozygotic
• What are non-identical twins called?

  dizygotic
• Concordance rate


  The extent to which both twins share the same characteristics
• Genotype


  The particular set of genes a person possesses- their genetic makeup
• Phenotype


  The characteristics of an individual determined by both genes and the environment. The way physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics are expressed- influenced by environmental factors.
• Human behaviour depends on...

  the interaction between inherited factors (nature) and the environment (nurture).
• Who introduced the concept of evolution?

  Charles Darwin
• What causes variation within a species?

  Inherited characteristics
• Natural Selection

  • Those who have desirable characteristics are likely to survive
  • survival=reproduction
  • unable to survive= die out and take undesirable characteristics with them
• Strengths

  • scientific method of investigation
  • Real life application
• Limitations


  -Cannot separate nature and nurture

  -Deterministic view