Biological Area - Psychological

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  • Created by: KesiaKate
  • Created on: 14-05-17 16:44
What is the definition of biological psychology?
Biological psychology focuses on our biological make - up and therefore assumes that all behaviour had a physical cause.
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What is the scientific study of human behaviour?
This scientific study of human behaviour focuses on studying biological systems such as brains structure, the action of chemicalthe nervous system, hormones, and genetics and therefore considers different parts of the brain as controlling behaviour
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What are the assumptions of Biological Psychology? (psychological changes)
Behaviour is controlled by psychological changes within the body, as opposed to environmental factors.
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What are the assumptions of Biological Psychology? (methodology)
Human behaviour should investigate using scientific, rigorous methodology
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What are the assumptions of Biological Psychology? (determined behaviour)
The things that people think and feel, say and do are determined by the make up go the nervous system, brain structure, genetics and DNA, chemicals and hormones, and evolutionary factors
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Does it support Nature or Nurture?
The biological area supports the nature side of the nature - nurture debate because it sees genetic, biological factors as the explanation for thinking and behaviour.
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Does it support Individual or situational?
The biological area approach supports the individual side of the debate.
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Does it support Reductionism or Holism?
It is reductionistic as it assumes that behaviour and experiences can be explained in term of brain structure and chemicals, therefore providing an over-simplistic explanation of behaviour.
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Does it support Determinism or Free Will?
The biological area is deterministic because it assumes that behaviour is pre-determined by biological functions such as brain structure and chemicals, therefore we have no control over our actions.
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Is there usefulness of research?
Sperry’s study informed us of the functions of the left and right hemispheres, demonstrating hemispheric lateralisation. This is helpful when dealing with brain damaged patients with language difficulties.
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Does it support Psychology as a science?
The biological approach tends to support psychology as a science as often brain imaging techniques are used to objectively analyse brain function (e.g MRI in Casey) and quantitative data is obtained, however, sometimes there is lack of control- quasi
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What are the strengths of Biological Psychology? (scientific)
Tends to use scientific, rigorous methodology to study human behaviour (e.g brain scanning techniques, artificial and controlled procedures and collection of quantitative data).
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What are the strengths of Biological Psychology? (nature)
Provides strong arguments fro the nature side of the nature vs nurture debate
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What are the strengths of Biological Psychology? (practical applications)
Has contributed to our understanding of the fundamental processes of behaviour, which has led to many practical applications (e.g rehabilitation programmes for brain damaged patients)
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What are the strengths of Biological Psychology? (reductionistic)
Adopts a reductionistic approach which isolates specific variables so cause and effect can be established.
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What are the weaknesses of Biological Psychology? (deterministic)
Adopts a deterministic view suggesting that behaviour is pre-determined and therefore humans have no free will over their actions
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What are the weaknesses of Biological Psychology? (reductionistic)
Takes a reductionistic approach and tends to over simplify physical systems and their interactions with the environment
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What are the weaknesses of Biological Psychology? (controlled)
Tends to use highly - controlled laboratory experiments conducted within artificial settings to observe human behaviour which may lack ecological validity
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What are the weaknesses of Biological Psychology? (qualitative data)
Often no qualitative data is obtained and thus findings from the biological area do not give us a detailed insight into the behaviour under investigation.
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What is the scientific study of human behaviour?

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This scientific study of human behaviour focuses on studying biological systems such as brains structure, the action of chemicalthe nervous system, hormones, and genetics and therefore considers different parts of the brain as controlling behaviour

Card 3

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What are the assumptions of Biological Psychology? (psychological changes)

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Card 4

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What are the assumptions of Biological Psychology? (methodology)

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Card 5

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What are the assumptions of Biological Psychology? (determined behaviour)

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