Biological Level of Analysis

This essay will look at the work of two very famous behaviourists. It will consider the differences and similarities as well as give descriptive detail of their actual experiments and see if any contribution was provided to mankind. It will focus on the theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning which occurs through interaction with the environment. As this was done by experimenting with animals, it is also necessary to consider the rules and restrictions that are needed to be kept in mind as research ethics applies to any experiments done on any living thing.

The monumental idea of learned behavior studied in all kinds of mammals from the early 1900’s can be enlightened from Benedict’s book Patterns of Culture. The idea that there is a division between cultures that is a clearly seen and felt within the personality of the individuals within can be assumed that the individuals of the culture are learning their personality from their culture. Comparing cultures has taught that even the way we learn is derived from the culture you are raised and everyone has culture. Benedict defines it further with the fact culture has personality and culture gives individuals their personality; individual is “raw material” for a culture to sculpt and shape in a unique way on Page 251. “One of the most misleading misconceptions due to this nineteenth- century dualism was the idea that while the idea that what was subtracted from society was added to the individual and what was subtracted from the individual was added to society” (Benedict, Pg.

Studies and research performed by biologists, neurologists, psychologists and geneticists, noted are the researchers who took the opportunity to analyze behavior in all sorts of environments.

We learned that the child temperament is not only a result from environment (nurture), but also heredity (nature). The parenting style of Suzy’s parents would be an example of

Human behavior is affected both by genetic inheritance and by experience. The ways in which people develop are shaped by social experience and circumstances within the context of their inherited genetic potential. Each person is born into a social and

Babe Ruth is arguably the greatest baseball player of all time. Bill Clinton held the highest office in the free world, President of the United States. J.R.R. Tolkein authored one of the most successful fiction book series ever in the Lord of the Rings. Steve Jobs created on of the most successful computer businesses in the world, in Apple Co. What do these men have in common? They were all adopted. Adoption plays a large role in the development of an individual. Adoption plays a role in the long time psychological debate of “nature vs. nurture”. This paper will address the nature vs. nurture debate, how adoptions plays a role in the debate, give a history of adoption, and tell the story of a personal friend who was adopted and

This study included 361 families, each of whom adopted a child. Participants were the adoptive parents, the adopted child and the birth mother. One of the best studies to distinguish between what is caused by genetics and what is caused by environment is an adoption study, as there is a very distinct differentiation between nature and nurture. (Natsuaki, et al.)

Why do people do things the way that they do? Many people make decisions good or bad and some of those decisions only make sense to them, not necessarily other people. There are many ways to try and figure out why people do the things that they do; I believe the two most important ways to interpret this is through behavioral and biological perspectives. Behaviorism is concerned with how environmental factors affect observable behavior, which is known as a response. The biological perspective is a way of looking at human problems and their actions.

Therefore these two approaches are at the opposite end of the spectrum as the biological approach supports the nature side of the argument and the behaviourist approach supports the nurture side of the argument. Another example of the polar opposites of the Biological approach and the Behaviourist approach is that another assumption of the Biological approach is that human genes have evolved to adapt behaviour to the environment. On the other hand, one assumption of the Behaviourist approach is that behaviour is learnt through association

Biological psychology is the study of how biology affects a number of psychological processes i.e. how the mind affects the body (Schacter, Gilbert, Wegner & Hood 2015). The study of the mind has had many influential figures throughout history that often use each other’s ideas as a stepping stone to further advance psychology, some of the first being Plato and Aristotle. Plato believed in nativism and theorised some skills and characteristics are innate and a person is born with them (Schacter et al, 2015). Aristotle, however, was in favour of philosophical empiricism i.e. that all knowledge is acquired through experience, yet current scientists do not consider that nativism and empiricism are entirely accurate (Schacter et al, 2015). Aristotle also believed that the brain existed to cool the blood, as during that time people were sceptical that an organ could be responsible for behaviour (Kolb, Whishaw & Teskey 2016). The next major advancement in biological psychology was the introduction of phrenology by Francis Gall, Gall’s theory suggested that all psychological capabilities had a specific place in the brain (Schacter et al, 2015). This theory later turned out to be correct, although was overshadowed by Gall’s insistence that he could state a person’s character dependant on the size of lumps and indentations on a person’s skull, which he thought would represent the size of that brain region beneath (Schacter et al, 2015). Due to this, in spite of a large following, phrenology was quickly discredited. Biologist Pierre Flourens, unhappy with Gall’s research, began removing localized areas of the brain in various animals to observe their behaviour (Schacter et al, 2015). Flourens then found that animal’s movements differed to those with intact brains. This mirrored a situation for surgeon Paul Broca with whom one of his patients had damage to the left side of

The biological domain refers to the physical elements and genetic systems within our bodies that impact on or are influenced by our behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Our genes are one type of physical component within our bodies that usually influence our personalities. A person’s genetic construct determines whether their hair is curly or straight, or their eyes are black or hazel, if they are of a large structure or a slight build. It seems also that our genetic makeup influences how active one can be, or whether the person is hot-tempered and disagreeable and if they prefer to be private or friendly. A person having the knowledge and understanding of genetics would know that it is a part of

Is behavior learned? It is inborn? What of aggression, intelligence, and madness? There is a crucial relationship between the behavior of humans toward their own kind and the view of life they hold. Interest in behavioral genetics depends on wanting to know why people differ. According to Jack R. Vale, in Genes, Environment, and Behavior, recognition of the importance of hereditary influence on behavior represents one of the most dramatic changes in the social and behavioral sciences during the past two decades. A shift began toward the more balanced contemporary view that recognizes genetic as well as environmental influences on behavior. Behavioral genetics lies in its theory and methods, which consider both genetic and

Over the years, psychologists have been concerned with determining the relative amount contributed by genetics or environmental factors to different behavior. They also often ask the

Behavior is party affected by human hormones present in the body built from genetic traits inherited from the individual’s parents. The genetic makeup of an individual combined with a certain environment, can affect behavior. Genetics is the science of analyzing traits inherited through generations. These traits are determined by genes that

Children are like fingerprints, not one is the same as another. Appearance, personality, and the pace at which we develop are unique to each person. Although individuality is celebrated, new parents are often eager to pick out characteristics of their children that are similar to their own. They may notice their infant has the same vibrant, red hair as his mother or loves reading as much as his father. Such similarities and differences between a parent and a child can be caused by a variety of reasons. In this paper I will explore two broad categories, environmental factors and inherited characteristics, as the basis of these characteristic variations.