Biological Area - Psychology Revision for Component 2 OCR PDF

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Psychology Revision for Component 2 OCR...

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Biological Area The biological approach believes our behaviour to be a consequence of our genetics and physiology. It examines thoughts, feelings and behaviour from a biological point of view. It believes psychology should be seen as a science and should be studies in a scientific manner through the use of objective measures and objective equipment (PET, MRI scans). It assumes that behaviour is caused by physiological processes such as brain function and hormone levels that are ultimately dictated by genetics.

1. Principles and Concepts: 1. Behaviour is a consequence of physiology e.g. genetics and hormones 2. All thoughts, feelings and behaviour have a biological cause 3. Psychology is a science and should be studies in a scientific manner using objective methods

2. Research to Illustrate the Area: Sperry (split brain) - Shows how altercations to the brain can change their abilities and which hemispheres are in control of which behaviours. Shows how their behaviour had a biological cause as a split brain altered their ability to perform certain tasks. Casey (delay of gratification) - Looked to see whether there is a neural basis to self-regulation and showed how behaviour remains constant as people develop. Used objective methods to study which areas of the brain are more active in different people whilst completing go/no-go tasks. Blakemore and Cooper (early visual experiences) - Looked at the impact that the visual environment had on cats’ brains. Showed how neurons can develop differently depending on the environment a cat grows up in and how this can alter their behaviour. Maguire (taxi drivers) - Illustrates how different people use different parts of their brain and how these parts can change and develop, depending on the demand for their use. Shows that behaviour can change due to changes in the brain. Used objective methods to measure this.

3. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Area: Strengths      

Scientific Useful Ethical Objective methods used Practical applications Explains causes of abnormal behaviour

Weaknesses      

Low ecological validity Reductionist Deterministic Ignores environmental factors Focuses on nature too much Develops theories that don’t apply to everyone

One strength of the biological area is that it uses lots of objective methods therefore is scientific. Casey’s research into delay of gratification used an fMRI machine to look at the difference in brain behaviour of high and low delayers. This is a strength because we can use these to see which parts of the brain are used the most when doing different tasks. It can also explain why some people are low delayers and others are high delayers, offering evidence as to why they are either one of these. Another strength of the biological area is that it strongly supports the nature side of the nature/nurture debate. Maguire’s research into the brains of taxi drivers demonstrated that taxi drivers had increased grey matter volume in their right and left posterior hippocampi whereas non-taxi drivers had more in their left and right anterior hippocampi. This is a strength because it enables us to understand what behaviour are affected by your biology, and looking at how your job can alter your brain and the way in which a person thinks.

Another weakness of the biological area is that it has low everyday realism. Casey’s study into the delay of gratification used a quasi-experiment in a lab which gave it high control but low ecological validity. This is a weakness because it is much harder to generalise the findings from the study as they are not representative of the real world. Because it took place in a lab and a standardised environment, it means this may have influenced how people would have reacted and although this says it is down to your biology, it could also be influenced by external forces, such as those around you and the environment you are in. Another weakness of the biological area is that it is very reductionist as it suggests that the human mind all comes down to your genetics and hormones as all behaviour depends on your biology. It fails to consider the cognitive processes in causing behaviour. Blakemore and Cooper’s study investigated the effects of early visual experiences on the development of kittens and found that the environment that a cat is brought up in can have an effect on their behaviour as they develop. This is a weakness because this limits the thoughts on development as this area believes all behaviour is determined by biology but this is evidence that it can also depend on the environment, but it doesn’t take this into consideration.

4. Applications of the Area Mental Health - biological causes of disorders; atypical antipsychotics as a treatment for schizophrenia Criminal Behaviour - genetics, brain function and abnormality (Raine et al.)

5. Exam Questions on this Area Describe how the biological area is reductionist. Support your answer with evidence from one appropriate core study [4]    

Define reductionism How the area fits the definition Example from a core study showing reductionism 2 marks for reductionism and area, 2 marks for core study example

Reductionism is when an area is reduced down into the simplest components so only takes one factor into account. The biological area can be seen as reductionist because it only takes into account the biological factors and how these change behaviour but doesn’t look at external factors such as the environment or cognitive factors. Blakemore and Cooper’s study investigated the effects of early visual experiences on the development of kittens and found that the environment that a cat is brought up in can have an effect on their behaviour as they develop. This is reductionist because this limits the thoughts on development as this area believes all behaviour is determined by biology but this is evidence that it can also depend on the environment, but it doesn’t take this into consideration.

Compare the biological area to the behaviourist perspective. Use examples from appropriate core studies to support your answer [8]     

2x State, Show, Show, Explain State similarity or difference Example from core study 1 Example from core study 2 Explain/discuss/elaborate on similarity or difference

One way the biological area and behaviourist perspective are similar is through the use of controlled methodology such as laboratory experiments. For example, in Bandura’s study from the behaviourist perspective an IV was manipulated – whether or not the children observed an aggressive, non-aggressive or no role model, and the environment was high controlled – all toys in each room were the same for all children. Similarly, in Blakemore and Coopers study from the biological area, an IV was manipulated - whether the kittens were reared in a horizontal or a vertical environment. This means both approaches carry out research which can establish cause and effect because the influence of extraneous variables is minimised. One way that the biological area and behaviourist perspective are different are because the biological area says behaviour is due to your biology whereas the behaviourist perspective says it is due to interaction within the environment. For example, in Chaney, this perspective says that it is the environment that you are in and social learning that alters your behaviour. Whereas in Maguire, they say that it is your biology that changes your behaviour and how you behave. This means that both approaches are different as believe in different factors that change behaviour.

6. Debates that link to the Area Debate Nature or Nurture Freewill or Deterministic Reductionist or Holistic Individual or Situational Useful Ethical Socially Sensitive Research Scientific

Which Side? Nature Deterministic Reductionist Individual Yes Yes Yes Yes

Why?

Study Link...