Evaluation

• Strength-Scientific approach 


  Behaviour can be explained in terms of the brain.

  Biological explanations have clear variables that can measured,tracked and examined,enables psychologists to conduct scientific research studying these variables.

  For example,drug therapy-links between drugs and the production of neurotransmitters and linked this to behaviour.

  Raine et al-used PET scans to compare brains.

  All examples are scientific to an extent,as they fulfil the aims of research-objective,well-controlled studies

  Strength-People are more likely to believe the principles of the approach
• Strength-Deterministic


  if we know what 'predetermines' our behaviour,we are more likely to be able to treat people with abnormal behaviour.-Helps us control our world

  If we understand that prolonged stress can cause physical illness then we can treat stress in short term.

  Strength-allows for the development of laws,hence it forms the basis of science,allows treatments to be developed as its easier to establish cause and effect
• Strength-Deterministic

  example-Dopamine,Schizophrenia

  Amphetamine-increases levels of dopamine,if large doses are taken,drug can cause hallucinations.

  Antipsychotics reduce the levels of dopamine and also the symptoms of schizophrenia.
• Strength-Successful applications


  abnormal levels of neurotransmitters and criminal behaviour has implications for offering pharmacological treatments to criminals,lower recidivism,safer societies.

  Cherek et al-males with conduct disorder had reduced levels of aggression and impulsivity after a 21 day course of an SSRI.

  Drug therapy produces mixed results as drugs affect people differently but its popular due to it being easy and enables people to live relatively normal lives outside of the hospitsl
• Strength


  Successful applications
• Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters


  Criminal behaviour has implications for offering pharmacological treatments to criminals, safer societies
• Cherek et al


  • Males with conduct disorder had reduced levels of aggression and impulsivity after a course of an SSRI
• Drug therapy


  Produces mixed results but is popular due to it being easy and enables people to live relatively normal lives outside of the hospital
• Viguera et al


  • More than 60% of bipolar patients improve when taking lithium
• Strength


  Benefits those who are receiving therapy and provides evidence principles of approach are true
• weakness-Reductionist


  reduce complex behaviours to a set of simple explanations,reducing stress to the action of adrenaline

  loose real understanding of the things we are investigating

  biological approach suggests that schizophrenia is a complex chemical system

  Laing-claimed that it ignores the experiences of distress that go alomg with mental illnesses,incomplete explanation.

  Weakness-offers an explanation that is too simplistic
• weakness-Nature rather than nurture

  mental illnesses have many causes,yet this approach only focuses on biology and ignores life experiences and psychological factors.

  Schizophrenia is concerned with abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters rather than with how patients feel about their illness.

  treatment is concerned with adjusting abnormal biological systems rather than talking to patients about how they feel.

  Weakness-may be ignoring significant factors in the development of behaviour.
• Nomothetic


  Looking to make generalisations about people and find similarities, ignores differences between individuals
• Nomothetic research


  • When stressed some people produce higher levels of adrenaline than others
• Nomothetic research focuses on a few individuals and assumes that everyone's biological systems behave in the same way
• Nomothetic research usually focuses on males as they believe that females' hormone cycles will affect the results of the research, producing a male bias
• Weakness - Individual differences


  Nomothetic research ignores differences between individuals
• Men usually react to stress with a fight or flight response

  Whereas females respond with a tend or befriend response, as women produce more oxytocin when stressed
• nomothetic-weakness


  ignores individuals differences,can offer an impersonal and superficial appreciation of behaviour