Biological Approach To Psychology Essay

(P1)The biological approach means that our behavior is the cause of biological factors. This approach looks at our genetics to construct a reason why we act the way we do and why we develop abnormal behaviors. The brain and nervous system are the biological approach and so are chemical changes in the body .This can mean chemical reactions in the brain. For instance, in eating disorders - twin studies were carried out and it was shown that if one identical twin suffered from an eating disorder then the other twin would also be more likely to suffer from a disorder as well. This did not happen with non-identical twins, suggesting that the

The basic assumption of the behaviourist approach is that all behaviour is learned through experiences a person has in their environment. From this we know that behaviourists are on the side of nature in the “nature vs. nurture” debate. In comparison bio psychologists will be firmly on the side of nurture.

The cerebral cortex directs functions like speech, behavior, reactions, movement, thinking, and learning. In fact, some research suggests that bipolar disorder originates with problems with the thalamus, which links sensory input to good and bad feelings. The hippocampus also affects depression. It, like the amygdala, is part of the limbic system. It is vital in processing long-term memory. This section of the brain registers recurring fear. In people with clinical depression, the hippocampus is much smaller. Research suggests, even, that ongoing exposure to stress impairs the growth of nerve cells in this part of the brain. One of the most important jobs of the brain is to process senses, through neurons. Neurotransmitters are specific substances that help relay information to the brain. Scientists have identified many neurotransmitters that affect depression. A lack or excess of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, glutamate, lithium carbonate and gamma-aminobutyric acid are thought to contribute to depression. Acetylcholine is involved in learning and enhances memory. Serotonin helps regulate sleep, appetite, and mood, and inhibits pain. Research shows the idea that many depressed people have reduced levels of serotonin. Low levels of a byproduct of serotonin have been linked to a high risk for suicide. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter which constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. An excess in

(AC1) Two perspectives in psychology are the behaviourist approach and the biological (also known as physiological) approach. These perspectives consist of different theories, research methods and treatments in relation to mental illness.

First we will look into the biological aspect of human behavior. Biological pertains to one’s body chemistry and from a psychological standpoint the chemistry of the brain. No two people have exactly the

Depression is a disorder that can be caused by many factors. Stress, medication, other medical illnesses, and personality traits can all contribute to depression, but the most common cause, however, is heredity (yahoo.com 1). These are all theorized guesses as to what causes clinical depression. The actual cause has not yet been resolved (yahoo.com 1). It is considered that usually more than one factor causes the disorder (yahoo.com 2).

If you have been diagnosed with depression, you most likely will be told it is due to a deficiency of serotonin. Serotonin is regarded by many people as the basic neurotransmitter, or chemical hormone, that regulates mood. It plays the central role in the regulation of human mood and temperament. Serotonin is an inhibitory neurotransmitter which works with the excitatory sympathetic systems, like adrenaline and dopamine, in the central nervous system. Most widely researched are the effects on the central nervous system. An oversupply of serotonin can occur, though it is not as common, and it can cause vivid hallucinations, vascular disorders, and psychotic disorders. If you have a sustained decrease in serotonin, the following will occur: increase in anxiety, loss of interest, and lack of concentration. Having a decrease or imbalance in the body sounds somewhat alarming, but there are ways to cope and restore normal balances regarding serotonin.

The leading theory explaining the biology of depression is the monoamine hypothesis of depression. (Stahl, 3) This theory suggests that depression is caused by a deficiency in one or another of the three neurotransmitters: serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. The theory was formulated after the accidental discovery of the original drugs for depression and psychosis, much in the same way Fleming discovered penicilin.

The biological approach focuses on the physiological causes of behaviour based on genetics, brain physiology and biochemistry. This approach also adopts the view that biology is adapted based on the environment an organism is in and therefore most behaviours serve an evolutionary purpose. Research is gained through a nomothetic approach that uses scientific methods. The psychoanalytical approach focuses on instincts, childhood experiences and the unconscious mind as motivators for behaviour. An idiographic approach is adopted from the case studies Freud used to develop his theory, however, Freud also attempted to apply general laws of behaviour using a nomothetic approach. There are several similarities within the two approaches: they both draw on nature and nature, are deterministic, materialistic and internal approaches. Additionally, both have practical applications in modern life. However, some differences between the two are that the biological approach accounts for external forces as well as internal whilst psychodynamic does not. The psychodynamic approach places greater emphasis on unobservable forces unlike the biological approach that primarily looks at observable structures – although often in animals rather than humans.

It recommends that our thoughts, feelings and behaviours have a physical cause. If you are reluctant, withdrawing, nervous, depressed, it has a biological cause. The biological approach suggests that our behavioural traits are inherited – passed down from parents to child.

Clinical depression can be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, therefore most medication treatments are based on this. In many cases, there is a reduction in the amount of certain neurotransmitters found (monoamines such as serotonin and norepinephrine) in depressed people (Medical Causes of Depression, n.d).

These can be caused by a low production of serotonin in our brain or a lack of receptor sites from serotonin to bind to. There are many other ways these problems can become the issue, including the inability for the serotonin to reach these receptor sites or a shortage of the chemical used to make serotonin, Tryptophan. People with depression can take antidepressant drugs, such as SSRI or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors which help regulate serotonin levels, in order to reduce the symptoms of depression. Serotonin is known as the “happy molecule”, because of its role that it plays in determining your mood. The major serotonin deficiency is depression or the loss of pleasure in normal things you used to enjoy. Other deficiencies in our levels of serotonin include anger, digestive disorders, feeling overwhelmed, insomnia, low self-esteem, and migraines just to name a few. The effects of serotonin are different in men and women in many ways. Women, for instance, are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and other mood

Through genetics and chemical imbalances in the brain, research has shown that depression is directly related to difficulties in the brain. A variety of neurotransmitters play roles in regulating the body. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that have the ability to communicate messages and information to the brain and body. These messages or “signals” are conveyed by the use of nerve cells known as “neurons:” Neurotransmitters play a major role in stimulating the brain. For example, serotine, dopamine, norepinephrine and gamma-aminobutyric acid are all inhibitory neurotransmitters that balance the activity in the brain. Serotonin, for instance, plays a fundamental role in regulating daily activities such as sleep, appetite, concentration and memory.

Depression consequences from abnormalities within the interactions among neurotransmitters and hormones within the mind, including the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; noradrenergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic structures; neuropeptides; and brain-derived neurotrophic aspect (BDNF), and might cause structural modifications in the brain.

According to Morgan (2015), the neuroscience of depression has an emotional impact on many areas of the brain. Serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine are the neurotransmitters that are mentioned in monoamine hypotheses and a deficiency