biological approach

• all things psychological have an innate biological basis
• emphasises how biological process such as neurochemistry, genetic inheritance, hormones and the nervous system impact our behaviour
• genes affect behaviour and influence the psychological differences between people.
• the mind and body are the same, thus meaning that all thoughts, feelings and behaviour have a physical basis
• the genotype is the genetic makeup
• the phenotype is the way genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics. these can be influenced by the environment
• behaviour geneticists study whether characteristics like: mental health, personality and intelligence are inherited the same way physical characteristics are inherited.
• these behaviour geneticists used twin studies to investigate the extent to which how much of these traits have a genetic basis.
• twin studies involve comparing monozygotic twins (identical twins) that share 100% of their genes with dizygotic twins (fraternal twins) who share 50% of their genes.
• in twin studies they compare concordance rates of the twins, these are the probability of one twin having the disorder if the other already has it.
• natural selection: (charles darwin) any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individual's survival and reprodcution will continue in future generations.