Compare and contrast bio app + pos app (10)

• Determinism vs free will

  • P: key contrast between the biological and positive approaches is their stance on determinism + free will.

  • E: bio approach strongly deterministic, suggesting behaviour is the result of internal biological factors like genetics, brain structures + neurotransmitter levels. e.g, research into schizophrenia highlights elevated dopamine levels as a causal factor, supporting a biologically determined view of mental illness.

  • E: pos app promotes free will, emphasis individuals can control + shape own well-being through developing strengths such as optimism + resilience. reflected in interventions like resilience training for US soldiers, assumes individuals can choose to change their mental state

  • L: determinist stance allows biological psychology to develop treatments like drug therapies, overlooks individual's capacity to change, a factor that positive psychology sees as essential for mental flourishing.
• Scientific Methodology vs Subjectivity

  • P: Both approaches claim scientific grounding, but differ in how they apply it

  • E: The bio app empirical, using objective measures like brain scans (e.g. Raine et al.'s PET scan study on violent offenders) + drug trials to establish causal links between biology and behaviour. allows for controlled, replicable research. Pos psych also aims for scientific credibility, uses randomised controlled trials to test interventions like PPC in schools

  • E: However, faces criticism for trying to measure abstract, subjective constructs like “happiness,” which are difficult to define or quantify universally. Wager et al. (2003) found correlations between positive emotions + basal ganglia activation, but critics argue this still cannot capture the full experience of well-being

  • L: while both approaches strive for scientific respectability, bio app achieves it more robustly through quantifiable variables
• Conclusion

  In summary, the biological and positive approaches differ most notably in their views on determinism and scientific rigour. The biological approach offers concrete, medically-oriented explanations of behaviour, while the positive approach takes a more holistic and optimistic view, empowering individuals to improve their own lives. Both have real-world applications, but their differing assumptions shape their strengths and limitations.