biological approach

• what is a phenotype?

  • the observable characteristics shown by the individual
  • these characteristics are due to the combined effect of genes and the environment
• what is a genotype?

  an individuals genetic make-up which is fixed from birth
• what is evolution?

  the process of natural selection ensures that a species characteristics which provide a survival advantage are passed from one generation to the next
• what is Buss (1994) evolutionary research?

  • across all 37 countries studied, he found that men preferred good looks, youth and chastity
  • women preferred good financial prospects, industriousness and dependability
  • these results suggest that certain traits have evolved in males and females as they increase the likelihood for passing on favourable genes
• how does neurochemistry affect behaviour?

  imbalances in the number of neurotransmitters are associated with atypical behaviour
• what are the 4 key brain structures?

  • frontal lobes
  • temporal lobes
  • parietal lobes
  • occipital lobes
• what is the function of the frontal lobes?

  • Problem solving and decision making
  • contains the prefrontal cortex which is for higher level cognitive functions e.g attention, focus, personality, planning, working memory
• what is the function of the temporal lobe?

  processes auditory information
• what is the function of the occipital lobes?

  processes visual information like colour and shape
• what is the function of the parietal lobes?

  processes sensory information like touch and temperature
• what is McGuffin et al (1996) twin studies research?

  • found that if one monozygotic twin has depression, there is a 46% chance that the other twin will also have depression
  • this suggest that there is a genetic component to illnesses like depression
• what are the key assumptions of the biological approach?

  • biochemical imbalances can affect behaviour
  • behaviour can be inherited as it is determined by genes
  • behaviour is determined by internal factors e.g genetics, neurotransmitters and brain structures
• give a weakness of the biological approach

  • causation is often strongly implied in explanations that focus on brain structures
  • e.g one explanation of OCD is that a lack of serotonin in the synapse causes OCD
  • such research tells us only that there is an association between serotonin and OCD, it can't tell us that a lack of serotnin causes OCD or OCD causes a lack of serotonin
  • therefore, biological explanations claim to show an established causation when actually a correlation just exists
• give a strength of the biological approach

  • utilises reliable methods of research
  • e.g research into neurochemistry requires specific methodology such as brain scans
  • these techniques provide psychologists with an accurate measure of brain activity
  • therefore, this makes biological evidence less susceptible to misinterpretation or experimenter bias and much more objective and accurate
• give a strength of the biological approach

  • real world application
  • e.g SSRIs work to increase serotonin levels in the brain, based off understanding how low levels of serotonin contribute to OCD symptoms such as a low mood
  • this treatment improves the quality of life of the patient, as they can begin living with their OCD symptoms reduced
  • furthermore, this will then impact the patient's ability to work, meaning less time off work due to ill health and less reliance on government funded incapacity benefit
  • therefore, this shows how the biological approach is useful in society