Biological Approach to Abnormality
Red = limitations
Green = strengths
Purple = statistical/scientifical evidence
Darker pink = main area
Lighter pink = explanation of main area
Blue = General explanation of topic
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- Created by: Aletia
- Created on: 10-04-13 18:44
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- Biological approach to psychopathology
- Assumes that all mental illnesses have a physical cause
- Reassuring to the patient as it is not their fault
- Disorders may be physical (obvious cause that would show up on a brain scan for example) or functional (no visible cause)
- Biological explanations focus on genetics
- DNA testing and twin studies
- Identical twins are more likely (44%) than non-identical (12%) twins to both have schizophrenia
- DNA testing and twin studies
- Brain bio-chemistry
- Neurotransmitter or hormone imbalances
- Investigated through drug trials and post mortems
- Schizophrenia caused by low dopamine
- Depression and Anorexia blamed on low levels of serotonin
- Neurotransmitter or hormone imbalances
- Brain structure (abnormal or damaged)
- OCD may be caused by an ineffective message filtering system
- Investigated by MRI scanners
- OCD may be caused by an ineffective message filtering system
- Infection
- Viral infections in mothers damaging foetus brain
- Support comes from strong scientific evidence, drugs have a high rate of effectiveness
- Limitations: reductionist (reduces symptoms down to a list) doesn't take into account factors like childhood experiences, determinist - patients aren't held responsible for their actions, may be chicken egg situations, treats symptoms not causes
- Assumes that all mental illnesses have a physical cause
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