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APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH - Coggle Diagram
APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH
A01
ACRONYM
M
onozygotic
T
win studies
C
oncordance
D
izygotic
G
enotype
A
daption
P
henotype
Everything that is psychological is at first biological
If we want to fully understand human behaviour we must look to biological structures and processes within the body, such as genes, neurochemistry + the nervous system
Behaviour has a genetic + neurochemical basis
Behaviours re inherited in the same way as physical characteristics such as height or eye colour. For example, the beta gene implicated in OCD
Neurochemistry also explains behviour, for example, low levels of serotonin in OCD
The mind + body are one and the same
From a biological perspective, the mind lives in the brain, meaning that all thoughts, feelings and behaviour ultimately have a physical basis
This is in contrast to the cognitive approach which sees the mind as separate from the brain
Twin studies are used to investigate the genetic basis of behaviour
Concordance rates between twins are calculates - the extent to which twins share the same characteristics
Higher concordance rates among identical twins (monozygotic) twins than non-identical twins (dizygotic) twins is evidence of a genetic basis. For example, 68% of MZ twins both have OCD compared with 31% of DZ twins -
Nestadt et al, 2010
The difference between genotype + phenotype
A person's genotype is their actual genetic makeup
A phenotype is the way that genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics
The expression of genotype is influenced by environmental factors and then becomes a person's phenotype
E.g. PKU is a genetic disorder that can be prevented by a restricted diet
This suggests that much of human behaviour depends on the interaction of nature and nurture
The theory of evolution is used by the biological approach to explain many aspects of behaviour
Charles Darwin (1859) proposed the theory of natural selection
Any genetically determined behaviour that enhances survival + reproduction will be passed onto future generations
Such genes are described as adaptive + give the processor and their offspring advantage
For instance, attachment behaviours in newborns promote survival + are therfeore adaptive and naturally selected
AO3
THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH USES SCIENTIFIC METHODS OF INVESTIGATION
In order to investigate the genetic + biological basis of behaviour, the biological approach makes use of a range of precise and highly scientific methods
These include scanning techniques, such as FMRI's, and drug trials. It is possible to accurately measure biological + neural processes in ways that are not open to bias
This means that the biological approach is based on reliable data
THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH HAS REAL LIFE APPLICATION
Increased understanding of biochemical processes in the brain has led to the development of psychoactive drugs that treat serious mental health disorders, such as depression
Although these drugs are not effective for all patients, they have revolutionised treatment for many
This is a strength of the approach because it means that sufferers are able to live a relatively normal life, rather than in the hospital
THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH IS BASED ON A DETERMINIST VIEW OF BEHAVIOUR
However, this is at odds with the legal system which sees offenders as responsible for their actions. The discovery of a 'criminal gene' may complicate this principle
Such research may have possible negative implications for wider society as criminals may be able to excuse their behaviour
The biological approach is deterministic in that it sees human behaviour as governed by internal + biological causes over which we have no control
THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH HAS DIFFICULTY IN ESTABLISHING CAUSE AND EFFECT WITH NEUROTRANSMITTERS
This is a bit like assuming that a cause of a headache is lack of paracetamol simply because paracetamol is effective in relieving symptoms of a headache
This is a limitation because the biological approach is claiming to have discovered causes where only an association exists
The role of neurotransmitters in mental illness comes from studies that show particular drug reduces symptoms of the disorder by changing levels of neurotransmitter. It is assumed that the neurotransmitter is the cause