The Biological Approach & The Social Learning Theory

What is the endocrine system and how does it influence behaviour?

It’s a body-wide system of glands that release hormones. These chemical messengers travel in the bloodstream and affect processes like mood, alertness, and aggression

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Observing someone being rewarded for a behaviour, which makes us more likely to imitate that behaviour.

What is the function of adrenaline in the fight-or-flight response?

It increases blood flow to the brain and muscles while reducing it to non-essential systems like digestion, enhancing alertness and reflexes.

What are the four mediational processes in Social Learning Theory?

Always Remember Meatball Monday

Attention, Retention, Motor Reproduction, and Motivation.

What is localisation of function in the brain?

The theory that specific brain areas are responsible for specific functions (e.g. Broca’s area for speech).

What is modelling in SLT?

Observing and imitating the behaviour of a model (live or symbolic).

What role does the limbic system play in behaviour?

It’s the emotional centre of the brain, involving structures like the amygdala, hippocampus, and thalamus.

What did Bandura’s 1965 Bobo doll study on vicarious reinforcement show?

Children were less likely to imitate aggression when they saw the model being punished.

What is a genotype and how is it different from a phenotype?

A genotype is an individual’s genetic code; a phenotype is how those genes are expressed physically or behaviourally.

What does reciprocal determinism suggest in SLT?

Behaviour influences and is influenced by both the individual and their environment.

What does serotonin do in the brain?

It’s linked to mood and well-being. Low serotonin levels are associated with depression and OCD.

How did Soomro’s meta-analysis support the biological approach to behaviour?

It found that SSRIs significantly reduced OCD symptoms, supporting the role of neurochemistry in behaviour.

What is a synapse?

The gap between neurons where neurotransmitters transfer signals chemically from one cell to another.

What is identification in SLT?

We are more likely to imitate models we identify with—those similar in age, gender, or status.

What brain structure coordinates balance and muscle movement?

The cerebellum

What is the diathesis-stress model in relation to mental health?

It suggests a genetic vulnerability (diathesis) interacts with environmental stressors to trigger disorders.

What is a weakness of the biological approach regarding determinism?

It may promote biological determinism, suggesting behaviours (e.g. crime) are predetermined and ignoring free will.

Which gene is associated with OCD and how?

The SERT gene influences serotonin transport and has been linked to compulsive behaviours.

What did fMRI studies show about Broca’s area?

That it’s active during speech production in neurotypical individuals, confirming its role in language.

What are neurotransmitters, and how do they affect behaviour?

Chemicals that transmit signals between neurons; they can be excitatory (promote firing) or inhibitory (reduce firing).

How is aggression explained from an evolutionary perspective?

Aggression helped early males protect families and compete for mates, making it a heritable survival trait.

What is a practical application of the biological approach in treating disorders?

Drug therapies like SSRIs for OCD and depression, which target neurotransmitter systems to improve symptoms.

What is one strength of SLT over behaviourism?

It includes cognitive processes, making it less reductionist and more reflective of human complexity.

What did the 1963 variation of Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiment show about symbolic models?

Children imitated aggression from live models, recorded videos, and cartoons equally, showing symbolic models can influence behaviour.

What does dopamine do in the brain?

It’s the “reward” neurotransmitter, linked to pleasure and reinforcement; its activity is increased by stimulants like cocaine.

Why is Social Learning Theory considered more complete than behaviourism?

It includes internal mental processes (cognition) and social context, not just observable behaviour.

What are excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters?

Excitatory neurotransmitters (like glutamate) increase neural activity; inhibitory ones (like GABA) reduce it.

What is meant by ‘learning and performance are not the same’ in SLT?

Learning can occur without immediate behaviour; observed behaviours may be stored for future use.

What is the function of the corpus callosum?

It connects the two brain hemispheres and allows communication between them.

Why is identification important in SLT?

Because individuals are more likely to imitate behaviours of models they relate to or admire.

What does the parietal lobe do?

It processes sensory information like touch, temperature, and pain.

How does the biological approach explain OCD?

Through imbalances in serotonin (e.g. SERT gene) and increased activity in certain brain circuits.

How do drug therapies like SSRIs support the biological approach?

They show manipulating neurotransmitters can change behaviour, supporting the link between brain chemistry and mental health.

What is a criticism of SLT based on Bandura’s research methods?

The Bobo Doll experiments only showed short-term effects in artificial lab settings, reducing ecological validity.

What is the cerebrum responsible for?

It’s involved in higher brain functions such as thought, memory, reasoning, emotion, and voluntary movement.

What is a concordance rate and why is it useful in studying genes and behaviour?

What’s one limitation of the biological approach in explaining mental health?

It may overlook environmental or cognitive factors, reducing mental health to biology alone (biological reductionism).

What is noradrenaline’s role in behaviour?

It’s involved in alertness and attention, especially in response to stress.

Why is the biological approach considered scientific?

It uses objective tools like brain scans, hormone testing, and genetic analysis to measure behaviour.

What’s a key strength of using matched pairs design in Bandura’s study?

It controlled for participant variables like pre-existing aggression, improving internal validity.

What is reciprocal determinism in Social Learning Theory?

It’s Bandura’s idea that behaviour is influenced by and also influences the environment, highlighting a two-way interaction.