The Biological Approach

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  • Created by: asusre
  • Created on: 10-04-21 15:15
What are the basic assumptions of the biological approach?
Everything psychological is at first biological, so behaviour is affected by biological structures and processes within the body - such as genetics, neurochemistry, and the nervous system.
The mind lives in the brain – meaning that all thoughts, emotions,
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What is a genotype?
Genotype refers to all the genetic information contained within an organism which dictate how an individual will develop.
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What is a phenotype?
Phenotype refers to the product of the interaction of the genotype with the environment.
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Explain the influence of genes on behaviour.
An individual may have a genetic predisposition to a behaviour, but it may not express itself due to the environment inhibiting its development.
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What is the difference between MZ and DZ twins?
Monozygotic twins are identical and share 100% of their genes, whereas dizygotic twins are fraternal and share 50% of their genes.
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What is a concordance rate? What does it imply?
The concordance rate is the degree that twins share a particular characteristic/behaviour. if MZ twins have a higher concordance rate than DZ twins, it is argued there must be a genetic influence for the characteristic occurring.
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What study found the concordance rates for schizophrenia between MZ and DZ twins and what are they?
Gottesman (1991) found that MZ twins have a 48% concordance rate and DZ twins have a 17% concordance rate for schizophrenia.
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What does this suggest about the causes of schizophrenia?
This suggests that schizophrenia is influenced by genetics, but genetics are not the sole reason for schizophrenia, as the concordance rate for monozygotic twins is not 100%, so schizophrenia must also be influenced by the environment.
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Which scientist founded evolutionary psychology?
Charles Darwin introduced evolutionary psychology in The Origin of Species in 1959.
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What is evolutionary psychology?
Evolutionary psychology argues that evolution has shaped our minds and behaviour as well as our bodies. It applies Darwin’s ideas of natural selection to the mind.
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What is natural selection?
Natural selection means that adaptive mutations, which increase an individual's chances of surviving and reproducing, are more likely to be passed on to the next generation, and changes that hinder survival are lost.
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How is aggression adaptive?
Aggression is adaptive as it improves survival rates and increases access to resources, helping to protect territory and offspring. This is attractive to mates. By mating, the genes are passed on, so the offspring is aggressive. This continues until the t
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What study found a genetic basis for aggression?
Lea et al (2005) researched the genetic basis of aggression and found the MAOA gene (or warrior gene), which is found in a third of men.
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Which biological structures influence behaviour?
The nervous system, neurons, and the endocrine system influence behaviour.
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How does the endocrine system influence behaviour?
The endocrine system is important in terms of biochemistry in the body. It regulates levels of hormones in the blood, which can influence behaviour.
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What is neurochemistry?
Neurochemistry is the biochemistry of the central nervous system. In the brain, neurotransmitters are transmitted via the cerebral fluid.
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What is the effect of neurochemistry on behaviour?
Low levels of serotonin are related to depression, and high levels of dopamine are related to schizophrenia.
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What are the strengths of the biological approach?
The biological approach uses scientific methods and has practical applications to treating mental illness.
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What scientific methods does the biological approach use?
The biological approach uses lab experiments, brain scans such as EEGs and fMRIs, and twin studies.
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What study found that antidepressants are not always effective?
Cipriani et al (2018) found that there were wide variations in the effectiveness of antidepressants.
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What are the limitations of the biological approach?
There are issues with causal conclusions about the causes of mental illness, it is biologically determinist, and it is biologically reductionist, and twin studies do not necessarily show the influence of genetics on behvaiour.
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What implications does biological determinism have?
Biological determinism absolves criminals of responsibility, and the the discovery of a ‘criminal gene’ could lead to sterilisation or genetic screening.
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What study found that MZ and DZ twins do not have equally similar environments.
Joseph (2004) found that MZ face more similar environments than DZ twins.
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Card 2

Front

What is a genotype?

Back

Genotype refers to all the genetic information contained within an organism which dictate how an individual will develop.

Card 3

Front

What is a phenotype?

Back

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Card 4

Front

Explain the influence of genes on behaviour.

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is the difference between MZ and DZ twins?

Back

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