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Biological psychology approaches - Coggle Diagram
Biological psychology approaches
Key assumptions
Takes a nature perspective
Biological approach sees behaviour as rooted in the physiology and biological processes in the body
It examines the processes that occur, and looks for how that may affect an individual's reactions and behaviours
How the biological approach explains behaviour
Genetics
The nervous system
The biochemistry of the body
Assumption 1 - genetics
Biological psychologists believe that the genes an individual possesses influences behaviour
This also means that there is a belief in the process of evolution
Behaviour evolves the same way as physical characteristics through the process of evolutionary adaption
Genetics affects behaviour on 2 levels
Genotype
The individual's unique genome or DNA sequence
DNA provides the genetic code on how the individual will develop
Genetic make-up occurs at conception
23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell
Humans have 100,000 genes in each cell
The genotype dictates such characteristics as eye and hair colour
Each individual (apart from identical twins) has a genotype which is unique to them
Phenotype
The phenotype of an individual is the product of what happens when the genotype interacts with the environment
With a physical characteristic such as height, the genotype dictates the maximum height an individual can reach but environment factors such as nutrition will affect how likely the person is to achieve their potential height
This is the same for psychological characteristics in that there may be a genetic predisposition to a behaviour but it may not express itself due to the environment inhibiting its development
Research used by biological psychologists to assess genetics and behaviour (twin studies and family studies)
As monozygotic (MZ or identical twins) are 100% genetically similar, the likelihood of them both having a behaviour/disorder compared with the likelihood of non-genetically identical twins (DZ or dizygotic twins) gives an indication of how much the behaviour may be genetic
If the MZ shows a higher likelihood of sharing behaviours/disoders than DZ then there is argued to be a genetic component
This is thought to be down to how similar their genes are
Twin studies are correlations between 2 sets of twins and measure the correlation between one twin's behaviour and the other on similarity
Called concordance rate
Assumption 2 - Biological structures controls behaviour
Nervous system
Central Nervous System (CNS) - sensory activities, memory and emotions
Brain
Spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) - connects the CNS with the rest of the body
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) - involuntary movements
Parasympathetic division - fight or flight response
Sympathetic division - rest or relax actions
Enteric division - digestive system
Somatic Nervous System (SNS) - voluntary movements
The neuron
A nerve cell which transfers information between the nervous system
There are billions within the human body and they vary depending on their job
The CNS
Consists of the brain and spinal cord
These transfer messages to and from the environment
The CNS is the central coordinator from which all the physiology of the individual is controlled
Breathing, eating, heart beat and the senses are all coordinated from the CNS
Biological psychologists look to the brain for behaviours as most actions and reactions are generated from the CNS