Outline and evaluate the biological approach. (16 marks)
The biological approach suggests that everything psychological is at first biological, so to
fully understand human behaviour we must look to biological structures and process within
the body. These processes are genetics, neurochemistry and the nervous system. An
understanding of the brain structure and function can explain our thoughts and behaviour.
From a biological perspective, the mind lives in the brain-meaning that all thoughts, feeling
and behaviour ultimately have a physical basis. This is different from the cognitive approach
that sees mental processes of the mind as being separate from the physical brain.
Behaviour geneticists study whether, behavioural characteristics such as intelligence,
personality, mental disorders are inherited in the same way as physical characteristics such
as height and eye colour. Twin studies are used to determine the likelihood that certain
traits have a genetic basis this is done by comparing concordance rates between a pair of
twins. A concordance rate is the extent in which both twins share the same traits and
characteristics. Twins that are identical(monozygotic) share 100% of each other genes, twins
that are non-identical share 50% of each other genes.
An individual’s genotype is the set of genes a person has and it is unique to that person
(except identical twin). Whereas the phenotype of an individual is determined by the genes
(genotype) and the environment. For example, identical twins may differ from one another
due to environmental factors, such as skin tan and dyed hair. So, despite the twins sharing
the same genes the way their genes were expressed is different. Therefore, many biological
psychologists would accept that much of human behaviour depends upon inherited factor
(nature) and the environment (nurture).
A strength of the biological approach is that it uses scientific methods such as experimental
methods, which gives the approach validity. This includes scanning techniques such as
FMRIS and EEGS, which are done in highly controlled lab setting. Therefore, results obtained
are reliable as they could be easily replicated to check the validity of them.
A limitation of the behaviourist approach is that it cannot separate nature and nurture.
Identical (MZ) and non-identical(DZ) twins share similar genetics. Hence, the biological
approach argues any similarities in the way they look would be down to genetics. However,
there is an important confounding variable as they are both exposed to similar
environmental conditions. This means that finding could just be interpreted as nurture
rather than nature.
Another limitation of the biological approach is the ethical issues regarding it. These ethical
issues are raised when human behaviour is explained through biology such as genetics
particularly when explaining criminal behaviour. For example, trying to explain criminal
behaviour through genetics could lead to the genetic screening (study of a person's DNA to
identify genetic differences or diseases /abnormalities) of the population in order to identify
those with a ‘criminal gene.’ As a result, those individuals may be stigmatised even if they
pose no such threat. Alternatively, if individual find they have a tendency for criminal
behaviour they may take advantage of this to avoid the punishment of their behaviour.
The biological approach suggests that everything psychological is at first biological, so to
fully understand human behaviour we must look to biological structures and process within
the body. These processes are genetics, neurochemistry and the nervous system. An
understanding of the brain structure and function can explain our thoughts and behaviour.
From a biological perspective, the mind lives in the brain-meaning that all thoughts, feeling
and behaviour ultimately have a physical basis. This is different from the cognitive approach
that sees mental processes of the mind as being separate from the physical brain.
Behaviour geneticists study whether, behavioural characteristics such as intelligence,
personality, mental disorders are inherited in the same way as physical characteristics such
as height and eye colour. Twin studies are used to determine the likelihood that certain
traits have a genetic basis this is done by comparing concordance rates between a pair of
twins. A concordance rate is the extent in which both twins share the same traits and
characteristics. Twins that are identical(monozygotic) share 100% of each other genes, twins
that are non-identical share 50% of each other genes.
An individual’s genotype is the set of genes a person has and it is unique to that person
(except identical twin). Whereas the phenotype of an individual is determined by the genes
(genotype) and the environment. For example, identical twins may differ from one another
due to environmental factors, such as skin tan and dyed hair. So, despite the twins sharing
the same genes the way their genes were expressed is different. Therefore, many biological
psychologists would accept that much of human behaviour depends upon inherited factor
(nature) and the environment (nurture).
A strength of the biological approach is that it uses scientific methods such as experimental
methods, which gives the approach validity. This includes scanning techniques such as
FMRIS and EEGS, which are done in highly controlled lab setting. Therefore, results obtained
are reliable as they could be easily replicated to check the validity of them.
A limitation of the behaviourist approach is that it cannot separate nature and nurture.
Identical (MZ) and non-identical(DZ) twins share similar genetics. Hence, the biological
approach argues any similarities in the way they look would be down to genetics. However,
there is an important confounding variable as they are both exposed to similar
environmental conditions. This means that finding could just be interpreted as nurture
rather than nature.
Another limitation of the biological approach is the ethical issues regarding it. These ethical
issues are raised when human behaviour is explained through biology such as genetics
particularly when explaining criminal behaviour. For example, trying to explain criminal
behaviour through genetics could lead to the genetic screening (study of a person's DNA to
identify genetic differences or diseases /abnormalities) of the population in order to identify
those with a ‘criminal gene.’ As a result, those individuals may be stigmatised even if they
pose no such threat. Alternatively, if individual find they have a tendency for criminal
behaviour they may take advantage of this to avoid the punishment of their behaviour.
