The biological approach - A03

• P - One strength of the biological approach is that is uses scientific methods to explain human behaviour.

  E - These scientific techniques have shown that there are biological components to behaviour.

  A - Brain scanning techniques such as fMRI and EEG has improved our ability to see things like neural processes and this creates objective data as there it is not open to bias.

  L - Therefore, this enhances the scientific credibility of the biological approach as a whole.
• P - Another strength of the biological approach is that there are studies that demonstrate the biological basis of human behaviour.

  E - For example, McGuffin studied twins where one of the pair already suffered from depression.

  A - He assessed the co-twin and found a 46% concordance rate for depression in monozygotic twins and a 20% concordance rate for depression in dizygotic twins.

  L - This supports genetic explanations of depression as monozygotic twins share 100% of their DNA.
• P - However, if depression was caused by genetics alone we would expect the concordance rate for monozygotic twins to be 100% but it is not.

  E - Additionally, twins are usually reared in very similar environments so it is impossible to separate the influence of nature and nurture from each other. Environment may even act as a confounding variable.

  A - This suggests that the biological approach is genetically and biologically reductionist.

  L - Nowadays, many psychologists consider human behaviour to be the cause of an interaction between our genes and the environment
• P - Another significant strength of the biological approach is that has good real world application.

  E - Drug treatments, such as SSRIs for depression, have been developed based on the biological approach and have proven to be successful in many cases, demonstrating there must be a biological cause to depression.

  A - However, drugs do not work for everyone and may only mask the symptoms and in some cases a placebo can work just as well.

  L - Therefore, brain chemistry may not be the only cause of behaviour and there may be another more psychological explanation for depression