Biological approach

evolution definition

change in behaviour over millions of years which allow humans to adapt to the environment

natural selection definition

genetically determined behaviour that improves chance of reproduction + survival passed through generations

environment of evolutionary adaptiveness definition

environment to which species is adapted + set of selection pressures at the time

environment of evolutionary adaptiveness for humans (when + where?)

2 million years ago- African savannah

who proposed the parental investment theory and when

Trivers (1971)

what does parental investment theory refer to

differences in male and female behaviour when it comes to forming romantic relationships

according to parental investment theory what are females looking for in a partner

a male with resources who will protect her and her offspring since females invest more biological resources into the pregnancy

according to parental investment theory what are males looking for in a partner

young, healthy, fertile females since they want to pass down their genes onto the next generation

according to the parental investment theory whats an indicator of fertility (in females)

0.80 waist to hip ratio

how many people and cultures did buss’ 1989 questionnaire cover

10,000 people across 37 cultures

what was the aim of buss’ (1989) questionnaire

find out what females and males were looking for in potential romantic partners

what did Buss (1989) conclude from his questionnaire

the different preferences may reflect the different evolutionary selection pressures on males and females

in buss’ (1989) questionnaire what did females value

resources

in buss’ (1989) questionnaire what did males value

characteristics signalling fertility

frontal lobe functions

thinking + behaviour

broca’s area function

speech production

parietal lobe functions

sensory information e.g touch

occipital lobe function

sight

temporal lobe functions

hearing + learning

cerebellum functions

balance, coordination

brain stem functions

breathing, heart rate, temp

wernicke’s area function

understanding language

what happened to Phineas Gage damaging what and when

struck by an iron rod damaging his frontal lobe in 1848

what changed about Phineas Gage after the incident

personality- inexplicable temper + extreme use of profanity

what does Phineas gage’s case prove

frontal lobe is linked with behaviour

what is the synapse

connection between 2 neurons where neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft to transmit a nerve impulse

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers which relay messages between neurons

presynaptic vesticles

the container of the neurotransmitter in the sending neuron

synaptic cleft

gap between the 2 neurons

seretonin

neurotransmitter linked with emotion/mood

post synaptic receptor

site on the neuron which receives the chemical neurotransmitter signal

dopamine

a neurotransmitter which is linked to happiness, addiction, schizophrenia

schizophrenia

serious psychotic condition includes hallucinations and delusions

dendrites

branches that connect neurons to eachother

cause of schizophrenia 

high levels of neurotransmitter dopamine 

name of schizophrenia drug

anti-psychotics

how anti-psychotics work

blocks transmission of dopamine at the postsynaptic neuron

what does antipsychotics reduce 

symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations 

what causes depression

low levels of serotonin

name of depression drug

SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)- type of antidepressant

how antidepressants work

block the re uptake of serotonin in the presynaptic neuron

cause of anxiety (BZs) 

too little GABA

anxiety drug name (BZs)

benzodiazepines

how BZs work

mimics GABA and quietens the neurons by reducing likelihood of other neurotransmitters transmitting

effect of BZs on anxiety symptoms

slows the activity of the central nervous system causing the patient to feel calm therefore reducing their anxiety

anxiety drug name (BBs)

beta blockers

cause of anxiety (BBs)

raised blood pressure and abnormal levels of adrenaline

how BBs work

bind/ attach to receptor cells of the heart, blocking these receptors and reducing the effect of adrenaline on the heart

effect of BBs on anxiety symptoms

heart beats slower and blood pressure os reduced therefore the person feels calmer and less anxious

sexual selection definition

evolutionary process where different traits for each gender have evolved to attract a mate

kin selection definition

instinctive drive to protect those with our own genes

Evolutionary influences linked to drug therapy

Abnormal behaviour eg anxiety may be inherited to protect the individual from certain death which might not be beneficial in the current evolutionary era

Localised function of brain linked to drug therapy

Particular areas of brain impact mood and behaviour eg limbic system regulates emotion (depression may be a result of an imbalance of seretonin in limbic system)

Placebos effectiveness evaluation

Kahn study of 250 patients over 8 weeks found Bzs were more effective than placebos suggests antianxiety are effective in treating psychological disorders

Placebos ethics evaluation

Unethical- some participants get inferior treatment of no medical significance can cause indirect psychological harm + stress/ embarrassment

drug therapy effectiveness evaluation

symptoms of disorders such as depression can be reduced through medication but cant tackle underlying issues e.g trauma + once tablets stopped symptoms may return- therapy might be more effective

lack of valid consent ethics evaluation of drug therapy

GP could fail to give sufficient detail of side affects- 1998 Donald Schnell killed wife daughter granddaughter and himself whilst taking psychological drugs his family sued the SSRI company for causing his actions also if patient in severe psychological distress cant absorb information to weight pros and cons

Raine procedures

1) practice CPT (continuous performance task) then start it 30 seconds before injection so initial task novelty wont affect results

2) injection of tracer FDG which takes up active areas of brain targeted by the CPT

3) after 32 mins PET scan done (10 horizontal slice pictures using cortical peel + box techniques) brain scans then compared

IV of Raines study

NGRI or not

DV of Raines study

brain differences

what type of experiment is Raines study

quasi experiment 

what is a quasi experiment

not true experiment- participants can’t be randomly assigned to one of two conditions

what research design was used in Raines study

matched pairs design (each murderer with a control participant of same age + gender + 6 schizophrenics NGRI matched with 6 schizophrenics from mental hospital)

mean age of experimental group Raines study

34.3

mean age of control group Raines study

31.7

number of participants + sex in Raines study

41 participants (29 men + 2 women)

 details of experimental group in Raines study

charged with murder/ manslaughter + referred for PET scanning for diminished capacity defence 

Raines study sampling method

opportunity sampling (participants able to easily aquire)

In Raines study was there a change in the midbrain + caudate in murderers and why

no change- not linked to violence/ agression

why was there an asymetry of abnormalities in murderers 

reduced activity in the left amygdala + hippocampus + thalamus 

right hemisphere activity in murderers was…. in the….

increased in amygdala + hippocampus + thalamus

what differences weren’t accounted for in Raines study

• handidness

• ethniticy

• CPT

handidness in Raines study

6 left handed murderers had lower amygdala asymmetry but higher prefrontal activity

ethnicity in Raines study

14 non-white murderers- no difference in brain activity

CPT in Raines study

no difference in aspects of behavioral performance brain differences not related to task performance

Raines study concludes violence is determined by

not just biology- social + psychological + cultural + situational factors play important roles in predisposing to violence

what does Raines study conclude about pleading NGRI and diagnosing

data doesnt show murderers pleading NGRI aren’t responsible for their actions + doesnt show PET scans can be used for diagnosing

what does Raines study conclude about brain dysfunction and violence

casual link cant be generalized from NGRI murder cases to other types of violent crimes

Evaluation of matched pairs design in Raines study

very specific (same age + gender etc) increases validity + makes it a repeatable experiment- findings can be replicated and checked making it more trusted research

Evaluation of quasi experiment in Raines study

findings suggest violence not just caused by biology (could have been encouraged/ normalised in childhood- social influence)- findings suggests relationship but further research on upbringing needed

Evaluation of the fact only murderers were studied in Raines experiment

good insight into murderers but cant be generalized to all criminals even though other violent crimes take place eg robbery and murder isnt one of the most common crimes

Evaluation of lack of valid consent in Raines study

pleading NGRI (not in a fit state to make choices) especially schizophrenics/ brain injury- have to make sure full explanation takes place and a legal representative is present

evaluating biological approach nature vs nurture (weakness)

assumes behaviour= biology (doesn’t consider social implications) e.g Raine found murderers had reduced brain activity in areas linked to violence- suggests brain determines if your a murder (no consideration of childhood etc)

evaluating biological approach reductionist (weakness)

reduces complex human behaviors to biological reasoning (doesn’t consider social factors)- reductionism is part of understanding systems but in process may lose sight of what we are investigating e.g approach assumes depression= low serotonin levels w/o considering social factors- simplistic explanation of complex biological experiences 

evaluating biological approach application (drug therapy) ((strength))

assumption of neurotransmitters role in mental health led to several drug treatments e.g Kahn’s study found Bz’s more effective than placebos in treating anxiety- suggests evidence based outlook allows approach to assist effectively in treating psychplogical disorders 

evaluating biological approach scientific (strength)

evidence is purely factual- localisation of brain function assumption suggests that certain areas responsible for certain functions e.g Wernicke discovered area involved in understanding language- patients with damage to area able to speak but unable to understand language (shows behaviour has a biological basis)

evaluating biological approach conclusion

not well supported approach to explaining behaviour- has scientific credibility but explanations overly reductionist + too focused on nature ignoring role of environmental influences- limitations more compelling than strength and approach can’t fully explain complex behaviors

evolutionary influences linked to drug therapy

-normal behaviour = all behaviour biological causes
-abnormal behavour= acute anxiety inherited to protect individual from death (not beneficial in current evolutionary era)
-therapy = reduce neurotransmitters + hormones linked to anxiety
-result = reduce erratic behaviour linked to anxiety

neurotransmitter levels linked to drug therapy

-normal behaviour = mood + behaviour caused by neurotransmitters in synapses in brain
-abnormal behaviour = assumes schizophrenics have abnormally high dopamine levels
-therapy = drugs change neurotransmitter levels- increasing or blocking neurotransmitters as they cross the synapse
-result = symptoms related to schizophrenia such as hallucinations are reduced

localised function of brain linked to drug therapy

-normal behaviour = particular areas of brain imapct moods + behaviour
-abnormal behaviour = depression- imbalance of seretonin in limbic system
-therapy = targets that part of brain
-results = leads to an alleveation of the symptoms