Biological approach

• What are the assumptions of the biological approach?

  All behaviour has a physical cause

  Human behaviour is strongly influenced by evolution
• What is the genotype?

  The genetic makeup of an organism
• What is the phenotype?


  The physical expression of the genotype due to the environment
• Why is our genotype and phenotype different?

  Some alleles are recessive so aren’t expressed in the phenotype
• What is a neurotransmitter?

  A chemical messenger
• What is an inhibitory neurotransmitter?

  Stimulate the receiving neurone to not send an impulse
• What is an excitatory neurotransmitter?

  Trigger the receiving neurone to send a further impulse
• What are hormones?

  Chemical messengers produced by glands in the endocrine system that regulate various bodily functions
• What does the frontal lobe do?

  • Planning
  • Language
  • Inhibitions
• What does the parietal lobe do?

  Sensory integration
• What does the temporal lobe do?

  Auditory processing and language
• What does the occipital lobe do?

  Visual processing
• What does the cerebellum do?

  Stored motor actions
• What are the positives of the biological approach?

  • Scientific, can do fMRIs, EEGs etc
  • Means mental illness is treatable with drugs that alter neurotransmitter imbalances
• What are some weaknesses of the biological approach?

  • Reductionist, cannot understand behaviour without taking into account thoughts and environment
  • Determinist, if we have no control over our genes we have no responsibility for our actions
• What are MZ twins?

  Monozygotic - identical
• What is concordance rate?

  Likelihood of two people sharing a characteristic