Discuss the Biological Approach in Psychology Essay example

Discuss the biological approach in psychology. Refer to at least one other approach in your answer. (12 marks) The biological approach focuses on both the physiological and evolutionary aspects which explain human behaviour. The causal level of analysis incorporates physiological explanations, such as the effect of nerves and hormones on behaviour. According to biological psychologists, behaviour is controlled by the nervous system, which consists of the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (the surrounding nerves), which itself includes the autonomic nervous system that controls automatic processes such as heart rate and the fight or flight syndrome. Within the central nervous system,†¦show more content†¦In what he called the ‘survival of the fittest’, Darwin suggested that through the process of natural selection animals with particular characteristics, as a result of possessing advantageous alleles, will survive. However, those with maladaptive genes cannot adapt to changes in environmental conditions, so will die or become extinct. Dowling (1994) stated that this process depends on three principles: species diversity, interact ion and the spread of a species as a result of differential amplification. Sexual selection is another component of Darwin’s research, which explains the best strategies adopted for passing on genes to offspring. Moreover, there are problems with Darwin’s theory such as his attempts to generalise animal behaviour to the way in which humans interact in their environment. However, he has presented compelling evidence which is very scientific in its approach and methodology. Furthermore, contrary to Darwin’s evolutionary idea of survival of an individual, Dawkins (1976) suggested that the survival of the genes is more important. Schizophrenia twin studies have found a 46% concordance rate for monozygotic twins compared with a 14% concordance for dizygotic twins. This high concordance suggests the contribution of genotype to the onset of schizophrenia, yet the 40% discordancy indicates that environment must play a role in the development of this condition. Moreover, localisation ofShow MoreRelatedSocial And Cultural Context Of Psychology818 Words   |  4 PagesKatja Gavrilina Define the term Psychology and discuss its history in light of social and cultural context, highlighting the significance of different perspectives in Psychology. Psychology is defined as the scientific study of mental processes and human behaviour. It had roots in philosophy and physiology, before becoming an independent scientific discipline in the late 1800 s. 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