Approaches

• Cognitive approach


  Emergence of cognitive neuroscience - as technology advanced -scanning techniques - links between brain activity and internal mental processes/ thoughts - localisation of function

  • initially formed at the Massachusettes institute of Technology (MIT) in 1956
• Biological approach

  Key assumptions

  Everything psychological is at first biological - look at

  biological structures (genes, neurochemistry, the brain, the nervous

  system) to understand our thoughts and behaviour.

  Behaviour has a genetic basis - psychological traits (intelligence, personality) can be inherited like physical characteristics (height, etc)

  Evolution influences psychology. Psychological traits that are beneficial for survival and reproduction will be passed on through natural selection like other physical characteristics.