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The Biological Approach - Coggle Diagram
The Biological Approach
- suggests everything psychological was at first biological so we must understand biological structures & processes before we can understand human behaviour
- thoughts and behaviours can be explained by understanding the brain and it's functions
- mind lives in the brain so thoughts, feelings and behaviours have a physical basis
- the neurochemical basis of behaviour
- neurochemistry = the action of chemicals in brain ('neural' refers to the brain)
- much of our thought and behaviour relies on chemical transmissions in the brain.
- this occurs using neurotransmitters.
- imbalance of neurochemicals in brain has been implied to be a possible cause to mental disorders, e.g., low levels of neurotransmitter serotonin in OCD and overproduction of dopamine in schizophrenia.
- The genetic basis of behaviour
- psychological characteristics, e.g., intelligence, are inherited in the same was as physical characteristics, e.g. eye colour, height.
- Twin studies = used to investigate if certain psychological characteristics have a genetic basis
- this is achieved by analysing concordance rates, i.e., the extent to which twins share the same characteristics
- if characteristics (e.g. music ability, schizophrenia etc.) is genetic, we'd expect all identical twins (monozygotic) to be concordant (they share 100% genes). whereas no true for non-identical twins (dizygotic) who share about 50% of same genes
- genotype = person's genetic make-up
- phenotype = the way genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics
- despite monozygotic twins having the same genotype, the way the twin's phenotype is expressed is different
- this illustrates what many biological psychologists believes, that much of human behaviour depends upon interactions between inherited factors (nature) and the env (nurture)
- 19th century, Charles Darwin proposed theory of natural selection to proved the fact of evolution.
- main principle of natural selection is that any genetically determined behaviour which enhances the individual's survival (and reproduction) will continue in future generations, i.e. be naturally selected
- scientific methods
- P: uses scientific methods for investigation
- E: to investigate genetic & biological basis of behaviour, approach sues precise and highly objective methods. includes scanning techniques such as FMRIs and EEGs. advances in tech = possible to accurately measure physiological and neural processes in ways that aren't bias.
- E: strength - means much of approach is based on objective and reliable data
- biological determinism
- P: approach is determinist
- E: sees human behaviour is governed by internal, genetic causes over which we have no control. however, we've already seen that the way someone's genotype is expressed is heavily influenced by the env. not even monozygotic twins look and think the exact same. also, purely genetic argument is problematic when considering things such as crime
- E: weakness - suggests biological view is often too simplistic and ignores the mediating effects of the env.
- Real-world application
- P: increased understanding of neurochemical in brain = use of psychoactive drugs to treat serious mental disorders
- E: e.g. biological approach promoted treatment of clinical depression using antidepressant drugs to increases levels of neurotransmitter serotonin at synapses in brain. such drugs are associated with reduction of symptoms of depression
- E: strength - means people can treat their symptoms and take control over their lives again rather than remain in hospital.
- Counterpoint
- P: antidepressants don't work for everyone
- E: Cipriani et al. (2018) compared 21 antidepressant drugs & found wide variations in their effectiveness. although most drugs were more effective than placebos in comparative trials, researcher concluded effect of antidepressants were 'mainly modest'.
- E: weakness - challenges value of biological approach because suggests that brain chemistry alone may not account for all cases of, for example, depression.