Biological evaluation WJEC psychology Exam Questions and Answers

Biological evaluation WJEC psychology Exam Questions and Answers 1. Give two examples of how it can be beneficial in society - ANSWER Evidence suggests that drug therapy is effective e.g. Soomro found SSRI used to treat 17 patients with OCD. lowered symptoms. Cherek found the use of SSRI lowered aggression and impulsiveness compared to a placebo group Beneficial safer society and helps individuals. 2. Why is the biological approach deterministic - ANSWER It ignores free will and believes that biological factors determine behaviour e.g. disorders are due to chemical imbalances/ brain abnormalities. e.g. depression caused by low levels of serotonin. 3. Is the biological approach being deterministic a strength of a weakness - ANSWER It is a strength as it shows cause and effect and therefore can be treated. e.g. depression treated with SSRI 4. Why is the approach biologically reductionist? - ANSWER It reduces behaviour purely down to biological factors such as brain abnormalities, biochemistry -The explanations have clear variables that can be measured, tracked and examined 5. -Conducts objective, well controlled studies and demonstrate causal relationships - ANSWER Strength: Scientific approach 6. -If we know what predetermines our behaviour we are more likely to be able to treat people with that behaviour - ANSWER Strength: Determinist Approach 7. -Cherek's study 8. -Drug therapy successes - ANSWER Strength: Successful applications -Reduces complex behaviours to a set of simple explanations -Reductionism may result in losing a real understanding of what we are investigating - ANSWER Weaknesses: Reductionist approach 9. -Mental illness has many causes but the biological approach tends to focus on just the nature and ignores life experiences - ANSWER Weaknesses: Nature rather than Nurture 10. -The biological approach is nomathetic looking to make generalisations meaning it tends to ignore differences between them - ANSWER Weaknesses: Individual differences 11. What is the evidence you can use for biological reductionism? - ANSWER Raine's study only focused on the brains of criminals and ignored other factors such as environment. Fallon demonstrates that he had the criminal gene but did not become criminal i.e. due to the diathesis stress model. Therefore, the approach is too simplistic. 12. Is the biological approach nomothetic or idiographic - ANSWER The approach is nomothethic as it is scientific and therefore generalises individuals are being the same e.g. disorders can be treated with biological intervention. 13. Why is being nomothetic a weakness - ANSWER It ignores the complexity of human behaviour and individual differences. 14. A1 - Evolutionary Influences - ANSWER - Human mind has been adapted to different environments - Behavior adapted for survival - Based on Darwin's theory of evolution (natural selection - genetically determined behavior enhances survival) Example - Female investment in offspring is high, male is low (aims to attract and provide) 15. A2 - Localisation of Brain Function - ANSWER Impairments will stay localised to one lobe of the brain and all others will function fine Frontal Lobe - Thinking, creativity, good for problem solving Partial Lobe - Receives sensory info (touch, temp, pain) Occipital Lobe - Visual processing of info from the eyes Temporal Lobe - Memory and auditory processing 16. Example - Influences of mate selection are based on desirability of the other (orbital-frontal cortex action high) 17. A3 - Neurotransmitters - ANSWER - Chemical messages from pre to post synaptic neurons - Electric signals converted to chemical to cross synapse (return to electrical once absorbed) Serotonin - Affects emotion + motor skills, used in digestion Dopamine - Emotional responses (MH like depression) 18. A1 - Evolutionary Influences Relationship Formation - ANSWER - Males must be resourceful (ambition, money, genetics) - Females have more health risks in giving birth (picky) Tivers - Level of investment in offspring decides on weather a relationship is formed (high = yes) 19. A2 - Localisation of Brain Function Relationship Formation - ANSWER - Orbital Frontal Cortex (OFC) is the impulse control on weather to act on sexual desires - Attractiveness raises action in the OFC - Desirability biological (skin to skin contact = oxytocin) 20. A3 - Neurotransmitters Relationship Formation - ANSWER - Hormone oxytocin is a chemical messenger in pregnancy - Higher levels = more nurturing to off-spring (mother-child) 21. Drug Therapy - Assumptions - ANSWER - Assumes disorders have a physical cause (medical model) - Abnormal behavior = faulty NTM's - Aims to increase the NTM's in the brain 22. Drug Therapy - Antipsychotics - ANSWER Typical Antipsychotics - - Treat psychotics disorders - Blocks dopamine receptors in NTM by binding to brain 23. Atypical Antipsychotics - - Temporarily blocks dopamine receptors then quickly disassociates to form normal production 24. Drug Therapy - Antidepressants - ANSWER Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's) - - Low serotonin = reabsorption happening too soon - Lack of post and pre synaptic communication - Binds to pre-synaptic to prevent absorption (increases) 25. Monoamine Oxidizing Inhibitors (MAOI's)- - Blocks enzyme production to break down less serotonin 26. Drug Therapy - Antianxiety - ANSWER Beta Blockers (BB) - - Reduce activity of adrenaline + noradrenaline (response to stress) - Receptors bind to cells in the heart so it beats slower - Decreases blood pressure + less stress on heart 27. Drug Therapy - Effectiveness - ANSWER - No long term data - Drugs vs Placebos (drugs found to be more effective in OCD over 3 months as symptoms reduced on SSRI's) 28. Drug Therapy - Side Effects - ANSWER - Causes nausea + headaches - Dependency / addiction 29. Drug Therapy - Cause and Effect - ANSWER - Doesn't address underlying cause - Not long term (potentially beneficial) 30. Drug Therapy - Appropriateness - ANSWER - Tailored to patients needs - Not time consuming (6 to 8 weeks) - Cost effective = widely available - Easy to take 31. Drug Therapy - Patient Involvement - ANSWER - Low - Free will can take over - Not preventative 32. Drug Therapy - Ethical Issues - ANSWER - Valid Consent (lots of info given to patients may be overwhelming + not in the frame of mind to agree) - Patient should understand - Patients are deceived if under a placebo 33. Raine - Methodology - ANSWER - 39 males and 2 females (mean age = 34.2) - University of California - Quasi experiment (IV not manipulated) - 6 schizophrenic (matched to controls) - 23 history of brain damage - 3 substance abuse - 2 epileptic - 2 with effective disorders - 2 with personality disorders