the biological approach
assumptions
humans are biological organisms made up of physiological processes, therefore all thoughts, ideas & cognitive processes must be biological in origin
to understand behaviour, we must look at biological structures & processes within the body
the mind 'lives' within the brain, in contrast to the cognitive approach that sees mental processes in the mind as being separate from the physical brain
evaluation
genetic basis of behaviour
twin studies are used to investigate whether certain psychological characteristics have a genetic basis, & this is achieved by analysing concordance rates
if a characteristic is genetic, we would expect all identical (mz) twins to be concordant (share 100% of the same genes) - whereas, this wouldn't be true for dz twins, who share about 50% of the same genes
genotype = genetic make-up of an individual
phenotype = observable characteristics of an individual as a result of their genotype & environment
two people may have the same genotype but different phenotypes - could be due to influence of environmental factors
neurochemical basis of behaviour
neurochemistry = the action of chemicals in the brain
much of our thought & behaviour relies on chemical transmission in the brain
imbalance of neurochemicals in brain = possible cause of mental disorder, eg low levels of serotonin in ocd
real-life example = pku
- phenylketonuria is a rare genetic disorder that if left unchecked causes severe learning difficulties in those who carry the genotype
- however, if detected early enough, the child can be placed on a restricted diet & will not go on to develop learning difficulties
natural selection & evolution
evolution = the changes in inherited characteristics in a biological population over successive generations
natural selection = any genetically-determined behaviour that enhances an individual's survival will continue in future generations (due to genetic transmission of 'beneficial' characteristics that give certain advantages)
if an individual survives but doesn't reproduce, the traits don't remain in the gene pool for successive generations
strengths
limitations
real-world application
- increased understanding of neurochemical processes in the brain is associated with the use of psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders
- eg = promoted the treatment of clinical depression using antidepressants, that increase levels of serotonin in the brain
- means that people with depression may be better able to manage their condition and live their lives in the community, rather than remain in hospital
- this benefits the economy as members of society with the mental disorder can continue to work
(counterpoint to real-world application) - antidepressants don't work for everyone
- a researcher compared 21 antidepressant drugs and found wide variations in their effectiveness
- concluded that the effects of antidepressants in general were ‘mainly modest’
- challenges the value of the biological approach, as it suggests that brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases of, eg depression
uses scientific methods of investigation
- makes use of a range of highly precise and objective methods
- these include fmris and eegs
- with technological advances, it’s possible to accurately measure physiological and neural processes in ways that aren’t open to bias
- means that much of the approach is based on objective and reliable data
it’s determinist
- sees behaviour as governed by internal, genetic causes over which we have no control
- however, phenotypes are heavily environmentally-influenced
- additionally, if we consider crime, this is difficult to argue that it’s purely genetic
- suggests the biological view is often too simplistic and ignores the mediating effects of the environment