Biological - AO3

• A limitation is that it's reductionist where all human behaviour is reduced down to just physical processes such as activity of neurotransmitters
• This is a weakness because it underestimates the role of our environment in behaviour
• However, reductionism is also a strength because by isolating just one factor it allows researchers to investigate that factor scientifically
• Advantage of the biological approach

  Drugs to treat mental illness have been found to be effective in reducing symptoms
• This supports the biological approach


  The theory suggests our behaviour is dependent on varying levels of neurotransmitters
• Furthermore, such treatments are beneficial as SSRis reduce suicide rates, place individuals back into the community and back to work whilst reducing money spent on therapy - this has positive implications for the economy
• Therefore, the biological approach effectively identifies and treats mental disorders, adding credibility to the approach
• Strength of the biological approach

  • It uses reliable methods of research, e.g. fMRIs or PET scans
  • Because of this, researchers can have an accurate measure of internal processes that were previously not very accessible
• Therefore, this makes biological evidence less susceptible to misinterpretation or experimenter bias