518493
Biological
Approach (Unit 1)
- Basic Assumptions
- Behaviour and thought
processes have an
innate, biological basis
- Mind and brain
are the same
- Human genes have
evolved to adapt behaviour
to the environment
- Human characteristics
e.g. intelligence, are due
to our genetic make-up
- Behaviour and thought
processes have an
innate, biological basis
- Research
- Bock and Goode - when mice were reared
alone, they showed a strong tendency to
attack other male mice when first exposed to
other animals → implies a natural, genetic
tendency in relation to biological aggression
as it was inherited from their parents
- Genetic mapping, genetic
engineering and selective breeding
- Bock and Goode - when mice were reared
alone, they showed a strong tendency to
attack other male mice when first exposed to
other animals → implies a natural, genetic
tendency in relation to biological aggression
as it was inherited from their parents
- Influence of genes
- Cells in the human body - structure called
the nucleus, containing 46 chromosomes
made up of DNA → carries information
called genes which influence every aspect
of bodily structure and function
- Genetic mapping, genetic engineering
and selective breeding - contributed
enormously to our understanding of the
genetic basis of behaviour
- Bock and Goode
- Aggression - one of a number of
primitive behaviours that both human
and non-human species display →
process of evolution explains why some
genes survived and others did not
- Cells in the human body - structure called
the nucleus, containing 46 chromosomes
made up of DNA → carries information
called genes which influence every aspect
of bodily structure and function
- Evolution of behaviour
- Darwin (The Origin of Species) - all species of
living things have evolved over time from
common ancestors through the process of
natural selection → explains how strongest
genes survive and are passed onto the next
generation, whilst 'weaker genes' die out
- Provided scientific evidence to show
how random physical and behavioural
changes to a species either enables it to
adapt to its environment and survive, or
to become maladaptive and die out
- Provided scientific evidence to show
how random physical and behavioural
changes to a species either enables it to
adapt to its environment and survive, or
to become maladaptive and die out
- Many examples of evolutionary
behaviour in both human and
non-human species e.g. sexual
selection
- Animal kingdom - male species
display traits such as mating calls,
brightly coloured plumage in order to
attract a mate and reproduce → traits
are passed on to offspring, making
them more 'attractive' to females
- Humans - evolutionary behaviours such as
rooting reflex → newborn babies display this
reflex at birth by turning their heads towards
anything that strokes or touches their cheek or
mouth, aiding breastfeeding and hence survival
- Animal kingdom - male species
display traits such as mating calls,
brightly coloured plumage in order to
attract a mate and reproduce → traits
are passed on to offspring, making
them more 'attractive' to females
- Darwin (The Origin of Species) - all species of
living things have evolved over time from
common ancestors through the process of
natural selection → explains how strongest
genes survive and are passed onto the next
generation, whilst 'weaker genes' die out
- Evaluation
- + Uses scientific experiments -
rigorous methods allows for cause
and effect to be established
- - Reductionist - explains all thoughts
and behaviours in terms of the
actions of nerves or chemicals
- - Over-simplistic - fails to
fully appreciate the
influence that environmental
factors have on behaviour
- + Provides a strong
argument for the nature side
of the nature-nurture debate
- - Raises ethical issues
e.g. genetic mapping →
artificially manipulating our
genetic make-up may be
considered wrong
- + Applications - drugs e.g.
antidepressants for bipolar
depression
- + Uses scientific experiments -
rigorous methods allows for cause
and effect to be established
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