Shona Thomas
P1 – Explain the principal psychological perspectives
Biological
The biological perspective is a way of looking at psychological topics by studying the
physical basis for animal and human behaviour. “It is one of the major
perspectives in psychology and involves such things as studying the brain, immune
system, nervous system, and genetics.”1 So it therefore believes that everything in
our behaviour is inherited because of physiology and the structure of our brain. This
perspective is based on understanding the functions and workings of the human
brain, this is usually done through Neuro surgery, electroencephalograms known as
EEGs which is the recording of electrical activity in the brain. It is also measured
through the use of brain scans, this is when technology is used to take images of the
brain from different angles in order to make a three dimensional image to help
understand which parts of the brain is damaged. This approach was first introduced
by “Charles Darwin (1859) for demonstrating in the idea that genetics and evolution
play a role in influencing human behaviour through natural selection.”2
The biological approach was introduced by Gesell in the early 20th century and he
believed that human development is a sequence of the maturity process, he also
believed that the environment around us would help unfold skills, however we would
have already had the ability to achieve these skills through genetic inheritance.
Gesell came to this conclusion as he observed children and recognised the pattern in
that they would all go through a similar sequence but in their own time and
therefore it was almost predictable.
Galton developed an interest in observing human ability and was convinced that
these variations were a product of biological inheritance, rather than simply a matter
of upbringing. “Some of his earliest research was based on the obituary entries
in The Times, through which he traced what he saw as superior human qualities
being passed down through generations of Europe’s most eminent men.” 3 By
contrast he suggested that weak, inferior and even dangerous characteristics were
1 https://www.verywell.com/what-is-the-biological-perspective-2794878
2 https://www.simplypsychology.org/perspective.html
3 http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/people/francisgalton
P1 – Explain the principal psychological perspectives
Biological
The biological perspective is a way of looking at psychological topics by studying the
physical basis for animal and human behaviour. “It is one of the major
perspectives in psychology and involves such things as studying the brain, immune
system, nervous system, and genetics.”1 So it therefore believes that everything in
our behaviour is inherited because of physiology and the structure of our brain. This
perspective is based on understanding the functions and workings of the human
brain, this is usually done through Neuro surgery, electroencephalograms known as
EEGs which is the recording of electrical activity in the brain. It is also measured
through the use of brain scans, this is when technology is used to take images of the
brain from different angles in order to make a three dimensional image to help
understand which parts of the brain is damaged. This approach was first introduced
by “Charles Darwin (1859) for demonstrating in the idea that genetics and evolution
play a role in influencing human behaviour through natural selection.”2
The biological approach was introduced by Gesell in the early 20th century and he
believed that human development is a sequence of the maturity process, he also
believed that the environment around us would help unfold skills, however we would
have already had the ability to achieve these skills through genetic inheritance.
Gesell came to this conclusion as he observed children and recognised the pattern in
that they would all go through a similar sequence but in their own time and
therefore it was almost predictable.
Galton developed an interest in observing human ability and was convinced that
these variations were a product of biological inheritance, rather than simply a matter
of upbringing. “Some of his earliest research was based on the obituary entries
in The Times, through which he traced what he saw as superior human qualities
being passed down through generations of Europe’s most eminent men.” 3 By
contrast he suggested that weak, inferior and even dangerous characteristics were
1 https://www.verywell.com/what-is-the-biological-perspective-2794878
2 https://www.simplypsychology.org/perspective.html
3 http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/people/francisgalton
