Biological Approach
- Submitted by: visiousblood
- Views: 324
- Category: Other
- Date Submitted: 05/01/2014 02:07 AM
- Pages: 2
- Report this Essay
The biological approach consists of 4 factors (genetics, infections, brain injury and biochemistry) which is believed is related to illness. The biological approach believes that any psychological abnormalities which occur in a person have a physical cause.
It’s believed that if there can be faulty genes within a body then this can cause distress within a person, a study was undertaken by Gottesman consisting of 40 twin studies. It was found that the concordance rate for schizophrenia was 48% in monozygotic twins and around 17% in dizygotic twins, concluding that there is a genetic link. Hormones can be treated by blocking neurotransmitters which relieves symptoms, too much or too little can cause disorders. Depression is believes to cause by a lack of serotonin levels. K.F. case study, had damaged his brain while in an accident. He can only remember information which was stored in his LTM before the accident. His LTM is active while his STM is incapable of working.
The strengths of this approach is ‘practical application’ chemotherapy can be used without taking drugs. A supporting study is Trivedi et al who reported 33% of patients were no longer depressed and 47% reduced the severity of symptoms.
Strength of the Biological Approach is the methodology of scientific methods such as fMRI, MRI scans and twin studies. McGuffin et al conducted research into monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (non-identical) twins and found out monozygotic twins were more likely to develop mental disorders such as depression – they had a higher concordance rate – than dizygotic twins. This shows that there is a moderate genetic link, and it is a strength of the approach because it shows using scientific methods how genetics play a part in a person’s mind and behaviour.
Weakness; reductionist – it over simplifies human behaviour to genetic and nothing else at all. All experiments only to do with genetics and no other factors are taken in.
It’s believed that if there can be faulty genes within a body then this can cause distress within a person, a study was undertaken by Gottesman consisting of 40 twin studies. It was found that the concordance rate for schizophrenia was 48% in monozygotic twins and around 17% in dizygotic twins, concluding that there is a genetic link. Hormones can be treated by blocking neurotransmitters which relieves symptoms, too much or too little can cause disorders. Depression is believes to cause by a lack of serotonin levels. K.F. case study, had damaged his brain while in an accident. He can only remember information which was stored in his LTM before the accident. His LTM is active while his STM is incapable of working.
The strengths of this approach is ‘practical application’ chemotherapy can be used without taking drugs. A supporting study is Trivedi et al who reported 33% of patients were no longer depressed and 47% reduced the severity of symptoms.
Strength of the Biological Approach is the methodology of scientific methods such as fMRI, MRI scans and twin studies. McGuffin et al conducted research into monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (non-identical) twins and found out monozygotic twins were more likely to develop mental disorders such as depression – they had a higher concordance rate – than dizygotic twins. This shows that there is a moderate genetic link, and it is a strength of the approach because it shows using scientific methods how genetics play a part in a person’s mind and behaviour.
Weakness; reductionist – it over simplifies human behaviour to genetic and nothing else at all. All experiments only to do with genetics and no other factors are taken in.