Biological Approach

• A strength of the biological approach is that it has real-life application.
• For example, an increased understanding of biochemical processes in the brain has led to the development of psychoactive drugs, used to treat depression and other mental disorders.
• Although these drugs are not effective for all patients, they have revolutionised treatment for many.
• This strengthens both the applicability and support for the biological approach in explaining human behaviour, given that many sufferers are now able to live relatively normal lives outside of the hospital.
• Another strength of the biological approach is that it uses scientific methods to investigate the genetic and biological basis of behaviour.
• For example, the approach makes use of scanning techniques such as fMRIs and EEGs, and drug trials.
• With advances in technology, it is possible to accurately measure biological and neural processes in ways that are not open to bias.
• This strengthens both the reliability and support for the biological approach in explaining human behaviour, given that research is based on objective and reliable data.
• A limitation of the biological approach is that it is difficult to separate nature and nurture.
• For example, it relies on twin studies to demonstrate a genetic basis of behaviour, however, it is difficult to disentangle the contribution of genes and the environment.
• Twins share both genes and a similar environment, which acts as a confounding variable leading to results that can't be accurately interpreted. Furthermore, MZ twins may have a higher concordance rate than DZ twins because they are treated more similarly as a result of looking identical.
• This weakens both the internal validity and support for the biological approach in explaining human behaviour due to the fact that findings could be just as easily supporting nurture rather than nature.