biological approach

• overall assumptions/key beliefs?

  • all behaviour can be explained by biological structures/processes in the body
  • understanding brain structure helps explain thoughts/feelings/behaviour
  • they have a physical basis - are a result of something physical in the body
• explain genes?

  • inherited from parents to child
  • carry information that code for physical structures & psychological structures
• example of physical structure that gene codes for?

  • eye colour
• example of psychological structure that gene codes for?

  • personality
• what affects how a characteristic is expressed?

  • when genes interact with each other & with the environment
• define genotype?

  • the genes an individual has
  • genetic code that is written in the dna of individuals cells
• define phenotype?

  • observable traits/characteristics
  • these traits are due to combined effects of genes & environment
• example of genotype?

  • eye colour
• example of phenotype?

  • hair colour
• can phenotype change?

  • yes due to its environment
• who introduced natural selection?

  • charles darwin
• explain natural selection?

  • if an animal has a trait that helps it to survive its more likely to live & reproduce
  • this trait will then get passed onto the next gen throught genes
  • means you have adapted to environment
• explain sexual selection?

  • if you have a trait that makes you more attractive as a mate that will increase your chances of passing genes onto next generation
• what can evolution explain?

  • how physical traits & behaviour can be passed on through generations
• name 2 biological structures inside the body?

  1. brain
  2. nervous system
• what is the nervous system?

  • network of cells in the body
  • our main internal communication system
  • divides into: cns & pns
• the central nervous system?

  • made up of brain & spinal cord
• function of cns?

  • to control behaviour & regulate body's physiological processes such as breathing/digestion
• what is the brain?

  • centre of all consciousness & deals with higher functions such as problem solving
• what is the spinal cord?

  • collection of nerve cells that are attached to brain
  • deals with some reflex reponses without the brain
• explain the peripheral nervous system?

  • transmits millions of neurons to & from cns
  • has 2 sub divisions:
  • autonomic nervous system
  • somatic nervous system
• explain the function of autonomic nervous system?

  • transmits & receives messages from the organs
• what is the autonomic nervous system made of?

  • sympathetic branch - bodily arousal - increases bodily activities
  • parasympathetic branch - bodily calm - maintains or decreases bodily activities - normal resting rate
• explain the function of the somatic nervous system?

  • transmits & receives messages from the senses & controls muscle movement
• explain synaptic transmission?

  • signals are transmitted across synaptic cleft/gap from one nerve cell to another
  • done by the body's production of neurotransmitters
• what are neurotransmitters?

  • chemical that diffuses across the synapse to another neuron
  • can be excitatory/inhibitory
• example of a neurotransmitter?

  • serotonin - inhibition in neuron
  • neuron becomes negatively charged & less likely to fire
• explain adrenalin as a neurotransmitter?

  • excitation of neuron
  • neuron becomes positively charged & more likely to fire
• what is a sensory receptor?

  • part of somatic
  • sends info to spinal cord & brain
• what are motor pathways?

  • part of somatic
  • allows brain to control movement
• what are hormones?

  • chemical messengers that travel through bloodstream
• what is summation?

  • net effect of the excitatory & inhibitory potentials
  • whichever type of neurotransmitter is attached most, it leads to that effect
• 3 * of bio app?

  1. has real life applications
  2. evidence to support from phineas gage case study
  3. scientific
• * scientific?

  • objective
  • uses lab experiments so has high internal validity
  • all evs are controlled so can establish cause & effect relationship between bio structures & their influences on behaviour
  • internal
  • can empirically measure behaviour & make accurate generalisations of human behaviour
  • shows that bio structures & processes do have role in influencing behaviour
• * real life applications?

  • has been crucial in development on number of areas in psych
  • anti depressant drugs are given to people with depression as it suggests its a chemical imbalance
  • ecological
  • principles have helped many with their mental health & shows neurochem affects behaviour
  • has economic implications as treating disorders means people can go to back to work sooner thus paying taxes & contributing to economy
• 2 X of bio app?

  1. deterministic
  2. reductionist
• X deterministic

  • suggests that human behaviour is pre determined & driven by internal bio structures
  • pro: helps predict & prevent future behaviour
  • con: neglects free will & idea that people have capacity to change their own behaviour
  • has negative implications on society as removes blame & responsibility from a person
  • ignores other factors environmental & indivdual differences which may contribute to human behaviours stating its all down to our biology
• X reductionist

  • reduces something complex such as human behaviour down to its most simplistic component - behaviour influenced by biology - genes/bio structures
  • pro: allows us to research in great detail so it is likely to be scientific
  • con: ignores other factors which could have an influence on human behaviour such as environment we are brought up in & free will
  • complex behaviours cannot be reduced down to such a simple explanation that all behaviour is influenced by bio structures/processes as there are other factors to take into account
• * evidence to support from phineas gage

  • phineas gage survived fatal accident where metal bar passed through skull & brain causing severe impairement
  • intellectual ability not affected but personality was
  • he became quick tempered & foul mouthed due to damage to frontal lobes - affects behaviour
  • shows how physical makeup of our biology has an impact on both physical & psychological behaviours