PSYB4 Biological Approach

• It is strongly influenced by our genetic makeup and our genetic inheritance.
• Behaviour is innate and runs in the family

• A science 
• Behaviour should be studied in a scientific manner allowing cause and effect to be discerned and the studies replicated by others
• Lab studies should be used

• The central nervous system, especially the brain
• An understanding of these will lead to an understanding of behaviour 
• Scanning techniques are used to study people with brain damage

• Chemical processes
• Chemical imbalances may cause mood disorders (serotonin and depression)

• Within the brain
• All thoughts, feelings and behaviours have a biological cause

• Darwin's theory of evolution
• We have much in common with animals close to us on the evolutionary tree
• Animal tests can tell us about human behaviour

The study of the genetic make- up of organisms and how genes influence physical and behavioural characteristics

The traits, characteristics and behavioural tendencies inherited from one's parents and ancestors

• The genes present within a cell represented by 23 pairs of chromosomes. 
• With the exception of genetic twins, each person has a unique genotype

The expression of your genetic make up when influenced by environmental factors

The occurrence of characteristics of children adopted early in life with its frequency in their adoptive parents and with their birth parents

If there is a high concordance rate between the occurrence of the characteristic in adopted children and their birth parents

• If one identical twin has a particular characteristic, and the characteristic is genetic, the other twin should show it as they are genetically identical
• There should be a 100% concordance rate
• There should be a much lower concordance rates for fraternal twins and brothers

To collect, process and respond to information, from within and outside the body, and to co-ordinate the workings of different cells within the body

Neurons that transmit messages or information to and from the central nervous system

To transmit information to and from internal bodily organs allowing them to carry out life processes such as breathing, digestion and arousal

• To prepare the body for action 
• It can also adversely affect performance in tasks involving high levels of anxiety

• To support normal bodily activity, conserving and storing bodily energy
• Acts as a brake and reduces the activities of the body that have been increased by the sympathetic nervous system

• Pupil contraction 
• Salivation stimulation
• Lowering of the heart rate
• Stimulation of digestive activity 
• Bladder contraction

• Pupil dilation
• Accelerated heart rate
• Relaxation of bronchi
• Inhibition of digestive ability 
• Stimulates the release of glucose in the liver

• The belief that gender behaviour is based on the biological sex of a person 
• Drug treatment can be used to help people who wish to change their gender

• The belief that abnormal behaviour is based on genetic disorders, chemical imbalance or structural defect 
• Drug treatment, surgery or guidance for those with genetic conditions can be implemented

• Hormones, genetics and the structure of the brain are studied in order to theorise about criminal behaviour 
• No specific criminal gene has been discovered and treatment is limited due to ethical constraints

• Drug treatment is used for many psychological ailments such as schizophrenia and bipolar depression
• Drugs offer a quick way to alleviate symptoms, however do not address underlying issues

They allow measurement of the effect of an independent variable on a dependant variable allowing a cause and effect to be established

• Conditions can be monitored with almost all variables controlled by the researcher 
• They can be measured objectively meaning the study can be said to be more scientific than other methods such as case studies

CAT, PET and MRI (etc) allow us to observe parts of the brain and investigate their functions

• Allows us to investigate concordance rates for people who share genes or environment 
• Allows us to see if genes are implicated in causing certain characteristics and behaviour

It uses scientific methods to produce methods to produce laws which can be generalised to everyone

Objective, quantitive data due to the very scientific nature of the methods employed

A large number of empirical studies and scientific evidence to support the biological theories

The experimental method employed and the control of almost all extraneous variables allows us to discern the cause of behaviour without inferring from case studies

• An understanding of the influence of biology on our behaviour is provided 
• Knowledge of genetic transmission can be used to provide genetic counselling, however there are ethical issues surrounding this (designer babies)
• Drugs can be used to treat mental conditions such as stress or depression

• It focusses solely on biological factors on behaviours and sees individuals as biological machines 
• It gives the impression that humans are powerless to their genetic endowment and does not take into account other factors such as the environment

The role of nurture is neglected or understated Researchers tend to see an interaction between the two (an interactionist approach)

• It suggests that our behaviour is determined by our physiology, genes and evolution or a combination of the three 
• Free will is not considered so individuals can claim that they are not responsible for their actions

• Subjective experiences and individual meaning is not taken into account 
• The complex interplay of the body and mind and the role of consciousness on our thoughts and behaviour is not given full credit

• Behaviour is only explained after it has happened and future behaviour cannot be predicted 
• Speculation of how we behaved in the past os also involved and thus is subjective and retrospective, damaging its reliability

• Lab experiments are unlike real life settings 
• There is low ecological validity as findings cannot be definitively applied to the real world