Biological approach
Assumption
1. Behaviour can be explained by localisation of brain function
o The cerebral cortex – the outer area that covers the surface of
the brain
o The brain stem – is the lower part of the brain that’s
connected to the spinal cord – responsible for regulating most
of the body’s automatic functions that are essential for life
o 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital
o Frontal lobe: involved in thinking and creativity – have been
linked to our personality, mood regulation and impulse control
o Parietal lobe: receives sensory information such as
temperature, touch and pain
o Occipital lobe: concerned with visual processing, receives
information directly from the eyes
o Temporal lobe: responsible for memory, processing and
understanding language
o Limbic system: hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala
o Hippocampus: episodic and spatial memories
o Hypothalamus: homeostasis of body temperature, blood
pressure, heart rate
o Amygdala: emotional responses, attaching emotions to
memories
- Example: Raine et al
o Aim: to see the difference in brain activity of a murderer and a
non-murderer
o The limbic system is linked to violent behaviour – low activity
in these structures is associated with a lack of inhibition,
fearlessness, and a failure to learn negative effects of violence
o Findings:
Less activity in the parietal lobe – linked to poor verbal
abilities
More activity in the occipital lobe
Less activity in the prefrontal cortex – linked to impulse
control
2. Behaviour is determined by neurotransmitter activity
o The nervous system is made up of interconnected cells –
neurons
o At the end of each neuron are branches – dendrites – give
neurons flexibility to connect to other neurons
, o The process of cell communication – synaptic transmission
- Example: mental health
o Serotonin: regulates mood, sleep and appetite
Low levels of the neurotransmitter are linked to
depression
Antidepressants work by increasing availability of
serotonin at post synaptic receptor sites
o Dopamine: involved in the reward pathway in the brain
High levels of dopamine are associated with
schizophrenia
Antipsychotic drugs block dopamine activity has been
found to reduce symptoms of schizophrenia
3. Behaviour is determined by evolutionary influences
o Darwin’s theory of evolution – human behaviour has changed
over millions of years to adapt to the demands of individual
environments – also known as natural selection
- Example: biological preparedness – Seligman
o Inherited predisposition to fear certain animals
o Matchett and Davey linked animal fears to contamination risk
and likelihood of attack
o An example of genetic evolution for survival purposes
Drug therapy
- Main components:
o Antidepressant drugs
o Antianxiety drugs
o Antipsychotics drugs
- Antidepressants drugs:
o Used to treat depression
o Biological cause- low levels of serotonin – caused by the
reuptake of serotonin back into the presynaptic neuron
happening too soon
o Example: SSRIs
o How they work – SSRIs bind onto the presynaptic neuron so
that serotonin cannot be reabsorbed – this increases the
amount of serotonin in the synapse, prolonging its activity
which can be received by the postsynaptic neuron
- Antianxiety drugs:
o Used to treat anxiety
o Biological cause:
Assumption
1. Behaviour can be explained by localisation of brain function
o The cerebral cortex – the outer area that covers the surface of
the brain
o The brain stem – is the lower part of the brain that’s
connected to the spinal cord – responsible for regulating most
of the body’s automatic functions that are essential for life
o 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital
o Frontal lobe: involved in thinking and creativity – have been
linked to our personality, mood regulation and impulse control
o Parietal lobe: receives sensory information such as
temperature, touch and pain
o Occipital lobe: concerned with visual processing, receives
information directly from the eyes
o Temporal lobe: responsible for memory, processing and
understanding language
o Limbic system: hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala
o Hippocampus: episodic and spatial memories
o Hypothalamus: homeostasis of body temperature, blood
pressure, heart rate
o Amygdala: emotional responses, attaching emotions to
memories
- Example: Raine et al
o Aim: to see the difference in brain activity of a murderer and a
non-murderer
o The limbic system is linked to violent behaviour – low activity
in these structures is associated with a lack of inhibition,
fearlessness, and a failure to learn negative effects of violence
o Findings:
Less activity in the parietal lobe – linked to poor verbal
abilities
More activity in the occipital lobe
Less activity in the prefrontal cortex – linked to impulse
control
2. Behaviour is determined by neurotransmitter activity
o The nervous system is made up of interconnected cells –
neurons
o At the end of each neuron are branches – dendrites – give
neurons flexibility to connect to other neurons
, o The process of cell communication – synaptic transmission
- Example: mental health
o Serotonin: regulates mood, sleep and appetite
Low levels of the neurotransmitter are linked to
depression
Antidepressants work by increasing availability of
serotonin at post synaptic receptor sites
o Dopamine: involved in the reward pathway in the brain
High levels of dopamine are associated with
schizophrenia
Antipsychotic drugs block dopamine activity has been
found to reduce symptoms of schizophrenia
3. Behaviour is determined by evolutionary influences
o Darwin’s theory of evolution – human behaviour has changed
over millions of years to adapt to the demands of individual
environments – also known as natural selection
- Example: biological preparedness – Seligman
o Inherited predisposition to fear certain animals
o Matchett and Davey linked animal fears to contamination risk
and likelihood of attack
o An example of genetic evolution for survival purposes
Drug therapy
- Main components:
o Antidepressant drugs
o Antianxiety drugs
o Antipsychotics drugs
- Antidepressants drugs:
o Used to treat depression
o Biological cause- low levels of serotonin – caused by the
reuptake of serotonin back into the presynaptic neuron
happening too soon
o Example: SSRIs
o How they work – SSRIs bind onto the presynaptic neuron so
that serotonin cannot be reabsorbed – this increases the
amount of serotonin in the synapse, prolonging its activity
which can be received by the postsynaptic neuron
- Antianxiety drugs:
o Used to treat anxiety
o Biological cause:
