Biological Approach
The biological approach in psychology focuses on understanding behavior and mental processes through the lens of biology, genetics, and the nervous system. It emphasizes the role of genetics, brain structure, neurotransmitters, and hormones in shaping human behavior and psychological processes. This approach seeks to uncover the biological underpinnings of psychological phenomena.
5 Key excerpts on "Biological Approach"
- Nancy Fenton, Jessica Flitter(Authors)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- Research & Education Association(Publisher)
...Chapter 5 Biological Bases of Behavior Biological psychology can be traced to the beginnings of psychology because it has its roots in physiology. The field of biological psychology, also called neuroscience, focuses on how genes, the nervous system, and the endocrine system influence behaviors and mental processes. Technological advances have allowed biological psychologists to provide a more complete understanding of what occurs on a physiological level during a psychological experience such as thinking or memory. Heredity, Environment, and Evolution An important aspect of the study of psychology is the interplay among genetic, environmental, and evolutionary influences. Complex human traits, such as intelligence, aggression, altruism, and personality, are influenced by all of these factors. For instance, psychologists attempt to determine how an individual’s level of aggression is impacted by inheritance and exposure to violence, as well as why aggressive tendencies were naturally selected. Biologists and psychologists are both interested in the various influences of nature and nurture on human traits. Biologists study physical traits, such as height and eye color, or susceptibility to diseases, such as cancer. In contrast, psychologists are interested in behavioral traits and psychological illnesses. Behavioral traits include aggression, intelligence, personality, etc.; psychological illnesses include anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, etc. The scientific discipline of behavioral genetics attempts to integrate the influences of heredity, environment, and evolution in terms of their effect on human behavior. Heredity Biological psychologists are interested in the study of heredity, or how the traits of parents are transmitted biologically to offspring. The nucleus of each human cell contains forty-six chromosomes, twenty-three donated by each parent. Chromosomes that determine gender are known as the X and Y chromosomes...
eBook - ePub- Matt Jarvis(Author)
- 2005(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...they reduce complex psychological phenomena to simple biological processes. This can have negative consequences. In the example given above, for example, whilst old paint might be one contributing factor in the relationship between poverty and intellectual development it certainly isn’t the only factor or even the most important one. We could not remove the impact of poverty just by repainting all old properties, and it is dangerous and misleading to suggest that we could. There will always be some aspects of psychology that cannot be explained by adopting a physiological approach. For example, we might know that people suffering from depression typically have lowered levels of serotonin, and that we can correct this with drugs. However, this does not tell us why people who lost a parent in early childhood are more likely to suffer depression as an adult. That requires another level of explanation that can be provided by one of the other theoretical approaches. Summary Biological Approaches to psychology use three key ideas from biology, genetics, evolution and physiology to understand psychology. Behavioural genetics is the study of the heritability of psychological characteristics. Genes have been implicated in a number of psychological variables, including intelligence and some mental disorders. Evolutionary psychologists have suggested that many of our characteristics and abilities have developed through a process of evolution because they are useful to us in some way. Neurophysiology focuses on the structure and function of the brain and nervous system and the ways in which these contribute to psychological functioning. New scanning techniques have allowed us to gain an increasing knowledge of brain function. One area of study in neurophysiology concerns bodily rhythms. Our knowledge of circadian rhythms has allowed us to understand the effects of jet lag and shiftwork. An understanding of ultradian rhythms has enriched our knowledge of sleep and dreaming...
eBook - ePub- G Neil Martin(Author)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...Histology is the study of brain cells and their structure and activity. You will learn more about the study of cells later on in Chapter 2 and in the chapters on neuroanatomy and neurotransmission. Finally, psychoneuroimmunology refers to the study of the body's immune system processes and the ways in which they react to psychological variables. Psychoneuroimmunologists may, for example, look at the effect of stress on wound healing, the development of an illness or on the maintenance of good health; they may study variables that mediate these effects, such as sex, age, personality, ability to cope, and so on. All of these sub-areas – in themselves, large areas of study – come under the umbrella of biological psychology. 1.3 Biological Psychology's Approach to Behaviour Like all sciences, biology, psychology and biological psychology have their roots in the philosophy of the Ancient Greeks and were fashioned by the various philosophical schools of thought that developed from this. At the heart – and, indeed, the brain – of biological psychology is a phenomenon called reductionism (or biological reductionism). 1.4 Reductionism Reductionism refers to the idea that the subject matter of science can best be understood by reducing it to its smallest parts. Biological reductionism argues that we can only understand biological processes by looking at the physical components and mechanisms that give rise to these. Applying this approach to biological psychology, the prevailing view is that an organism's behaviour can best be understood – some biological psychologists argue, can only be understood – by studying the biological basis of behaviour. In effect, you are reducing the study of behaviour to its most basic building blocks: the cells, organs, systems and brain regions that give rise to behaviour...
eBook - ePubSocial Neuroscience
Biological Approaches to Social Psychology
- Eddie Harmon-Jones, Michael Inzlicht, Eddie Harmon-Jones, Michael Inzlicht(Authors)
- 2016(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...In this introductory chapter, we define social neuroscience, briefly review its historical roots, and explain some of its benefits to social psychology. Finally, we preview the chapters in this volume. Definition Biological Approaches to social psychological processes and behavior have been named in several ways and hence defined in several ways as well. For example, these approaches have been referred to as social psychophysiology, social neuropsychology, social cognitive neuroscience, social emotive neuroscience, and social cognitive and affective neuroscience. We prefer to use what we believe is the most commonly used name: social neuroscience. We also prefer to consider the Biological Approaches to social psychological processes in a rather broad way. Thus, we believe that social neuroscience, as a field, examines how nervous (central and peripheral), endocrine, and immune systems are involved in social psychological processes. Social neuroscience is an integrative and comprehensive field that seeks to understand mechanisms underlying and consequences of social psychological processes by combining biological and social approaches. Historical Roots Historically, interest in the role of biological responses involved in social psychological processes can be seen in several places. For instance, the idea that biological responses could be used as a way of measuring social psychological processes that could not be easily measured by self-reports or overt behavior can be traced back to the 3rd Century BC. The Greek physician Erasistratus measured the heartbeat of a young man in the presence of his attractive stepmother to conclude that love, and not a physical illness, caused the young man’s malady (Mesulam & Perry, 1972). In the middle of the 20th Century, social psychological researchers used biological measures to measure unreportable psychological states...
eBook - ePub- Lewis R. Aiken(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Psychology Press(Publisher)
...It is the seat of consciousness and behavior and the regulator of the nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, the endocrine system, and other body structures. At the beginning of the 20th century, the older dualistic definition of psychology as the study of the mind was replaced by the definition of psychology as the science of human and animal behavior. A similar move toward monism was seen in medicine with the holistic concept of psychosomatic medicine. Psychosomatic medicine is based on the notion that thoughts and emotions can exacerbate and precipitate physical illnesses, and physical illness, in turn, can affect psychological functioning. Precipitated in some measure by advances in computing machines and neuropsychology, recently there has been a further modification of the definition of psychology to include cognitive processes. Psychology has been redefined as the study of behavior and cognition—a change that has been viewed by some as a return to mentalism or dualism. In any event, modern behavioral scientists recognize that behavior, cognitive processes, and personality are shaped and regulated by the structure and functioning of the human body. Understanding these influences and how they occur is the goal not only of modern psychology but also of many biologists, neuro-chemists, and health scientists. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an introduction to the ideas and findings of researchers in the natural sciences as they bear on our understanding of individual and group differences among people...
