AO1: The Biological Approach
- Created by: theninjaemu
- Created on: 26-04-17 09:33
View mindmap
- AO1: The Biological Approach
- Assumptions
- Everything psychological is first biological
- Human behaviour can be understood by looking at a person's biology
- e.g. genes, neuro-chemistry and the nervous system
- Behaviour has a genetic and neuro-chemical basis
- Behaviours are inherited in the same way as physical characteristics
- Neuro-chemistry can explain behaviour e.g. low levels of serotonin causing OCD
- The mind and body are one and the same
- All thoughts and feelings ultimately have a physical basis
- Contrasting to the cognitive approach which sees the mind as separate from the body
- Everything psychological is first biological
- Twin Studies
- Used to investigate the genetic basis of a behaviour
- Concordance rates between twins are calculated (the extent to which they share the same characteristic)
- Higher concordance rates between monozygotic (MZ) twins shows evidence of a gentic basis to a behaviour
- Higher concordance rates between dizygotic (DZ) twins shows no evidence of a genetic basis to a behaviour
- Genotype and phenotype
- Genotype
- A person's genotype is their actual genetic make-up
- Supports the 'nature' argument of nature vs nurture
- Phenotype
- The way genes are expressed through physical, behavioural psychological characteristics (the expression of a genotype)
- Influenced by environmentalfactors
- Supports the 'nurture' view of nature vs nurture
- Genotype
- The theory of evolution
- Used to explain aspects of behaviour
- Any genetically determined behaviour that enhances survival and reproduction is passed onto future generations
- These genes are described as adaptive and give the possessor and offspring survival advantages
- E.g. attachment behaviours in newborns promote survival, and are therefore adaptive and naturally selected
- Assumptions
Comments
No comments have yet been made