A summary of all the information needed to answer questions on the biological approach for the unit 1 exam of WJEC AS Level Psychology.
Includes:
- Assumptions (evolutionary influences, localisation of brain function and neurotransmitters)
- Application to relationships
- Therapy and Eval...
Biological Approach
Assumptions
Evolutionary Influences
o We are adapted for the demands of your individual environments
o In Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection genes which will help you to survive will be
passed of to the next generation
o Environment of Evolutionary Adaptiveness (EER) – this theory would propose that
the brain has evolved in response to the complex social organisation of our species
Localisation of Brain Function
o Certain areas of the brain are responsible for different functions
Frontal Lobe – Involved in thinking and creativity and has been linked to
personality
Parietal Lobe – Receives sensory information like pain and temperature
Temporal Lobe – Processes our memories and auditory information
Occipital Lobe – Concerned with visual information processing and receives
information directly from the eyes
o Broca’s are of the brain is associated with speech production whereas Wernicke’s
area is involved with understanding language
Neurotransmitters
o The chemicals that pass through our synapses when messages are transferred from
one neuron to another can impact our personality and feelings
o The synaptic cleft is 20nm
Application to Relationships
Males look for a woman who is fertile and healthy – smooth skin, glossy hair, red lips and a
good hip to waist ratio
Women tend to seek a man who has good resources – money, shelter and food
Research suggests that both males and females agree that the male should be older
Therapy
The medical model says that mental and physical illnesses present in the same way with a
cluster of symptoms and both can be treated in a physical way (through the manipulation of
bodily processes)
Antipsychotic drugs
o Treats psychotic disorders like schizophrenia (people suffering from high levels of
dopamine)
Conventional Antipsychotics
Combat the positive (extra) symptoms
Block the action of the dopamine neurotransmitter by binding to but
not stimulating the receptor
Atypical antipsychotics
Only temporarily occupies the dopamine receptors which lowers the
risk of side effects
Antidepressant drugs
, o Depression is thought to be due to insufficient amounts of serotonin
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
Block the transporter mechanism that reabsorbs serotonin
More serotonin is left in the synapse prolonging activity and makes
the next transmission easier
Antianxiety drugs
o Used to treat anxiety and stress
Benzodiazepines (BZs)
Slows down the CNS
Enhance the activity of GABA – the body’s natural form of anxiety
relief
Beta-blockers (BBs)
Reduces the activity of adrenaline and noradrenaline
They bind to the receptors on the cells of the heart that are usually
stimulated during sympathetic arousal (the heart beats faster and
the blood pressure falls
Evaluation of Therapy – Drug therapy
Effectiveness –
o Drugs are better than placebos
Soomro (2008) – 17 cases of people with OCD being treated with SSRIs saw
positive improvements over the 3 month trail compared with the placebo
We have little long-term data (2+ years) on placebos
o There can be side effects like nausea, headache and hallucination
o Does not address underlying causes (adulthood depression could be caused by
childhood trauma)
o Cheap, easy and efficient for patient, practitioner and NHS (a meeting is only needed
once every few months after the first consultation to discuss how the drugs are
working)
Ethical Issues –
o No patient should be given a treatment know to be inferior (should not be given a
placebo)
o Hard to gain valid consent as the patient may find it difficult to
remember/understand things like the side effects
o Medical professionals may not explain that the benefits of the drug are slim, or they
may exaggerate the benefits due to the ‘quick fix’ nature drugs have
Key Study – Raine et al (1997)
Methodology –
o Quasi-experiment with a matched pairs design
o Murderers (experimental group)
41 murderers (29 men and 2 women)
Mean age – 34.3 years
All pleaded NGRI (Not Guilty with Reason of Insanity)
o Control Group
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