Biological AO3

• +Real life application – Led to the development of psychoactive drugs for mental illness e.g. antidepressants like SSRIs (good for people and economy) and 70%+ effective for OCD.

  +-But these don’t work for everyone (~70% effective for OCD) so brain chemistry alone not enough, other explanations needed.
• +Very scientific approach – uses scientific methods e.g. fMRIs and drug trials are objective measures. This

  improves validity and credibility of approach.
• -Biological determinism – No free will as people’s behaviour affected by internal genetic causes over which we have no control. Problematic as its at odds with the legal system as it implies no responsibility.
• -Nature and nurture are difficult to separate – e.g. in twin studies MZ twins may share more similar experience than DZ (confounding variable). Therefore, we can’t be sure about genetic basis of behaviour.
• -Evolution is difficult to test, critics such as Popper say it is not possible to show evolution happening only that it has taken place (unfalsifiable). However, others argue it is well supported by fossil records, giving us an adequate account of past development.