biological

-everything psychological is first biological

-to fully understand human behaviour we have to look at the biological processes and structures

-mind lives in the brain

Genetic basis of behaviour

-traits such as personality are inherited from parents

-twin studies used to investigate whether certain characteristics are genetic, studied using concordance rates (how often a pair share a trait or characteristic)

genotype and phenotype

Genotype- a persons genetic makeup

Phenotype- the way that genes are expressed through physical, behavioural and psychological characteristics

-the biological approach would accept that much of human behaviour depends on a interaction between inehirted factors and the environment

Influence of biological structures

Biological structures, primarily in the brain or nervous system, play a key role in how we experience the world and respond to it.

-neurons and the nervous system= this consists of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system

The brain= split into 2 hemispheres and 4 lobes- frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital

Neurochemistry

-refers to actions of chemicals in the brain

-much of our thought and behaviour is down to chemical messages being passed around the Braun using neurotransmitters

-an imbalance of neurotransmitters could lead to mental health disorders such as ocd

AO3

-oversimplification= may neglect the influence of the environmental, social and psychological factors on behaviour

-deterministic= can be criticised for suggesting behaviour is largely controlled by biology and that individuals have little control over there actions

-scientific= relies on objective and measurable data through Braun scans

-treatment implications= understanding the biological basis of mental health conditions can lead to medical treatments such as medicines