biological approach

• All behaviours have a physical cause.
• Behaviours can be explained by structured functions of the nervous system, especially in the brain.
• Evolution refers to the change of successive generations of genetic make-up of a population.
• Natural selection is the inherited characteristics that enhance individuals' success and is carried on.
• Heredity is the passing on of characteristics from one generation to another.
• Hermiticity is the amount of variability in a trait within a population that can be attributed to genes.
• A gene is a part of a chromosome that carries information in the form of DNA.
• The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord.
• The peripheral nervous system is the connected system that transfers information to and from the CNS.
• Neurochemistry is the study of chemical and neutral processes associated with the nervous system.
• A neuron is a nerve cell.
• Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transfer one neuron to another.
• The neurochemical basis of behaviour refers to chemicals in the brain.
• Many thoughts and behaviours rely on chemical transmissions in the brain.
• Genotype is the genetic make-up or predisposition.
• Phenotype is the way genes are expressed physically, behaviours and psychological characteristics.
• Much of human behaviour depends upon an interaction between inherited (nature) and the environment (nurture).
• Epigenetics is the changes in certain conditions, such as PKU, a rare genetic learning disorder, can be detected and if detected in a child, a strict diet can make it so that it isn't developed.
• Charles Darwin proposed a theory of natural selection.
• Heredity is the biological inheritance of a particular characteristics from parent to offspring, such as eye colour.
• A candidate gene is a gene that is believed to be a particular characteristic, such as the MAOA warrior gene, which people may use as an excuse once done a crime, a theory known as labelling theory, which removes responsibility.
• Depression has a genetic component, with monozygotic twins concordance rate being 46% and dizygotic twins concordance rate being 20%.
• Schizophrenia has a genetic component, with monozygotic twins concordance rate being 75% and dizygotic twins concordance rate being 45%.
• Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers, with examples including Serotonin, which affects mood, Dopamine, which affects reward, and Melatonin, which affects sleep.
• Lab experiments can be used to evaluate behaviour, with high internal validity, less bias, and is replicable.
• Biological determinism suggests that genes mean violence, with real world applications including brain scans.
• Reductionism suggests there is no way to help people.