Biological approach

• What are the main assumptions of the biological approach?

  • Suggests everything psychological is at first biological, to fully understand behaviour we must study biological structures and processes within the body
  • Contrasts cognitive approach by saying behaviour ultimately has a physical basis
  • Uses scientific methods such as lab experiments, brain scanning techniques, case studies, etc.
• What is the neurochemical basis of behaviour?

  • Our thoughts and behaviours rely on chemical transmission in the brain using neurotransmitters and synaptic transmission
  • Imbalanced levels of neuro-chemicals has been implicated in possible cause of mental disorder, such as low levels of serotonin in OCD and high levels of dopamine in schizophrenia
• What is the genetic basis of behaviour?

  • Belief that psychological characteristics are inherited through genes the same way as physical characteristics
  • Twin studies can show whether certain traits have a genetic basis
  • Concordance rate: the extent to which twins share the same characteristic, so if a trait is genetic we expect monozygotic identical twins to be concordant as they share 100% of the same genes but not dizygotic twins who only share 50%
• What are genotypes and phenotypes?

  • Genotype: the specific genetic makeup responsible for unique traits/characteristics
  • Phenotype: the characteristics of an individual determined by a combination of genes and the environment
  • Much human behaviour depends on an interaction between inherited factors and the environment
• What is evolution?

  • Evolution: the changes in inherited characteristics in a biological population over successive generations
  • Natural selection: proposed by Charles Darwin suggesting that any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individual's survival or reproduction will continue in further generations
  • This is because the possessor is more likely to survive and so reproduce and pass on their traits - if they do not reproduce the traits would not remain in the gene pool for successive generations
• What is one strength of the biological approach?

  • Real-world application: increased understanding of neurochemical processes has helped with the use of psychoactive drugs to treat mental disorders
  • Promoted treatment of depression with antidepressant drugs that increase serotonin in the brain's synapses, reducing symptoms
  • Means people with depression can better manage their condition, increasing the value of the approach due to clinical applicatiom
• What is another strength of the biological approach?

  • Scientific methods: makes use of a range of precise and highly objective methods including scanning techniques like fMRIs and EEGs
  • Advances in technology have made it possible to accurately measure physiological and neural processes in ways that are not open to bias
  • Means much of the approach is based on objective and reliable data
• What is one limitation of the biological approach?

  • Unsuccessful application: antidepressant drugs do not work for everyone
  • Cipriani et al. (2018) compared 21 antidepressant drugs to placebos and concluded that the effects were 'mainly modest'
  • Challenges the value of the approach because it suggests that brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases of behaviour particularly depression
• What is another limitation of the biological approach?

  • Biological determinism: sees human behaviour as governed by internal, genetic causes over which we have no control
  • Yet we already know through phenotypes that our genes themselves are heavily influences by environmental factors
  • Can become problematic when considering crime - should criminals be excused by blaming their actions on genetic predispositions out of their control?
  • Suggests biological approach is too simplistic and ignores the mediating effects of the environment