Biological approach

• Assumptions:

  • suggests all behaviour is down to biological processes + structures
• Key feature 1: influence of genes on behaviour

  • genotype is your genetic makeup
  • phenotypes are the observable traits that are due to the combined effects of genes and the environment
• Assessing the influence of genes - Twin studies

  • Monozygotic (MZ) are identical twins - share 100% of genes
  • Dizygotic (DZ) are non-identical twins - share 50% of genes
  • look at concordance rates in twins - the percentage of the twins who share a certain behaviour with their twin
  • Finding: MZ concordance is higher than DZ concordance: genes must play a role in this behaviour as the identical twins are more similar than the non-identical twins
• Key feature 2: biological structure

  • structures within the brain influence our behaviour
  • the brain is in charge of decision-making, attention and higher-order thinking
  • it is divided into different areas which all have different roles in determining our behaviour
  • OCD - higher activity in orbitofrontal cortex in frontal lobe suggests this area is responsible for the obsessive thoughts seen in OCD
• Key feature 3: Evolution

  • millions of years ago, behaviours that helped out ancestors to survive and/or reproduce were passed on via genes - behaviours are adaptive
  • behaviours that are less likely to survive are less likely to pass on their genes - this is called the theory of natural selection
  • traits that aid survival or reproduction are seen as attractive when deciding a partner meaning they are more likely to pass on genes known as sexual selection
• Key feature 4: neurochemistry

  • study of chemicals that influence the brain
  • Hormones - these are chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream - released by glands
  • Neurotransmitters - chemical messengers that travel via the nervous system - they travel from neuron to neuron via a process known as synaptic transmission
• Biological approach A03: STRENGTH

  I: supporting evidence for the influence of genes on behaviour from twin studies

  E: Coccaro found MZ twins have a concordance rate of 50% for criminal behaviour and DZ twins have a 19% concordance rate. Shows that twins who were genetically identical were more likely to show aggression

  C: provides empirical evidence in support of the influence of genes on behaviour as MZ twins share more of their genetic makeup and they were more aggressive. Suggests genes play an important part in explaining human behaviour

  
  

  However, it could be learnt behaviour
• Biological approach A03: WEAKNESS

  I: ignores role of the environment in explaining behaviour

  E: biological approach suggests behaviour is caused by biological structures, however, this ignores social learning theory as an explanation of behaviour. SLT would argue aggression is caused by observing + imitating aggressive role models.

  C: could be caused by other factors such as the environment

  the interactionist approach suggests a combination of genes + environmental influences effects on human behaviour
• Biological approach A03: WEAKNESS

  I: biologically deterministic

  E: removes free will from people and they may believe that their future is predetermined and they have no control over it. For instance, someone who has aggressive genes in the family may think they are also going to be aggressive even if they do not want to be as their biology is making them act that way

  C:assumes people behave the way they do because of their biology and removes free will - people wont take responsibility for their actions
• Biological approach A03: STRENGTH

  I: led to effective therapies such as antipsychotics used to treat schizophrenia

  E: according to the biological approach schizophrenia is caused by having too much dopamine. as a result it has led to the development of antipsychotic drugs that work to reduce dopamine levels

  C: helped with their mental health and demonstrates that out neurochemistry does have an influence on behaviour