biological approach

• explain the biological approach

  -suggests everything psychological is at first biological so we must look to biological structures and processes within the body
• what is the neurochemical basis of behaviour?

  -refers to the action of chemicals in our brain

  -much of our thought and behaviour relies on chemical transmission in the brain

  -this occurs using neurotransmitters

  -imbalance of neurochemicals in brain has been implicated as a possible cause of mental illness

  -e.g low levels of serotonin in ocd
• describe the genetic basis of behaviour

  -psychological characteristics like intelligence are inherited in same way as height/eye colour

  -twin studies used to investigate whether certain psychological characteristics have a genetic basis

  -this is achieved by using concordance rates (the extent to which twins share same characteristic)

  -if a characteristic is genetic, all identical twins should be concordant

  -whereas the same would not be true for non-identical twins who share abt 50% of the same genes.
• explain genotype and phenotype

  -persons genotype is their actual genetic make-up whereas phenotype is the way that genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics

  -despite having same genes, phenotype is different in identical twins

  -this illustrates that much of human behaviour depends upon an interaction between inherited factors and the environment.
• what is nature and nurture?

  -nature-inherited factors

  -nurture-environment
• describe evolution and behaviour

  -theory of natural selection by darwin says any genetically determined behaviour that enhances an individuals survival will continue in future generations