AQA Psychology Unit 1 Biological Approach 2

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Created by: chapa
Created on: 20-05-13 14:10

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Biological Approach
- Weaknesses
  - Bad temporal resolution
  - No functional detail
  - Loud banging noise
  - No metal - practical issue
  - Relating to behaviour - normally relate brain activity to behaviour
- Research Methods
  - EEG Scans
    - Records electrical activity
      - Strengths
        Safe and painless
        
        Good temptoral resolutions
        
        Ease of relating behaviour to acticity
      - Weaknesses
        Not good structural detail
  - Post Mortem Investigations
    - Looking at brain after death
      - Strengths
        Good structural detail
        Large scale - by eye
        
        Small scale - lookig at tissues through microscope
      - Weaknesses
        No temproal resolutions (brain is not functions)
        
        No functional detail (brain non-functioning)
        
        Can't link to behaviour directly (person is deceased)
        Can ask family members
        
        Need order from coroner's and consent from family
  - PET Scans
    - Detects radioactive decay in parts of the brain
      - Strengths
        Not much distress to patient
        
        Good temporal resolution
        Has timescale
        
        Good functional detail
      - Weaknesses
        Patients have to stay still - uncomfortable
        
        Long procedure
        
        No structural detail
  - MRI scans
    - Detects radio frequency signals
      - Strengths
        Good structural detail
      - Weaknesses
        Bad temporal resolution
        
        No functional detail
        
        Loud banging noise
        
        No metal - practical issue
        
        Relating to behaviour - normally relate brain activity to behaviour
- Assumptions
  - Human behavious is strongly influenced by our genetic makeup and our genetic inheritance
  - CNS is essantial for thought and behaviour
    - Structure of brain can explain thought and behaviour
  - Chemical processes are responsible for psychological function in the brain
    - imbalance of chemicals can cause psychological disorders
  - Humans have evolved biologically
    - Darwin's Theory
      - We have a lot in common with other animal;s
Good functional detail
- Strengths
  - Safe and painless
  - Good temptoral resolutions
  - Ease of relating behaviour to acticity