biological approach

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assumptions of the biological approach
1) evolutionary influences
2) localisation of brain function
3) neurotransmitters
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evolutionary influences
physical and behavioural characteristics of species have changed over time through the process of natural selection
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localisation of brain function
certain areas of the brain are responsible for certain functions, if one part of the brain is damaged it can lead to the loss of a particular function
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neurotransmitters
the level of neurotransmitters in the brain have significant impacts on our mood, behaviour and mental health
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how does the biological approach explain mental illness?
the biological perspective views psychological disorders as linked to biological phenomena, such as genetic factors, chemical imbalance and brain abnormalities
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frontal lobe
personality, behaviour, decision making, problem solving and thinking
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parietal lobe
perception and integration of somatosensory information (touch, pressure, temperature, pain)
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temporal lobe
recognition, perception (hearing, vision, smell), understanding language, learning and memory
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occipital lobe
vision, receives projections from the retina, encode different visual information such as colour, orientation and motion
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Raine et al. (1997)
study on brain abnormalities in murderers, carried out by Adrian Raine and other psychologists on a group of American prisoners who were all charged with murder but plead not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI)
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Raine et al. (1997) - methodology
- IV was whether the participant was a 'normal' non-murderer or a murderer who had plead not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI)
-DV was whether the participant showed evidence of brain dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex
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Raine et al. (1997) - procedures
1) pp given practice trials on the CPT (continuous performance task)
2) participants given FDG tracer injection (radioactive, isotope and glucose) 30 seconds after starting CPT
3) 32 mins later pp enter PET scanner - measuring brain activity
4) 10 pictu
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Raine et al. (1997) - findings
murderers were found to show significantly higher occipital lobe glucose metabolism than controls
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Raine et al. (1997) - conclusions
-significant differences in brain activity (as measured by the glucose metabolism) between NGRI and control group
-doesn't mean that brain dysfunction caused them to murder
-doesn't mean that the NGRI are not responsible for their actions
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how do the assumptions of the biological approach relate to drug therapy?
the biological approach assumes psychological problems have a physical cause and therefore they can be treated in a physical way:
-neurotransmitters can lead to mental health problems therefore we can use drugs to alter the action of our neurotransmitter
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antidepressants
antidepressants reduce the rate of reabsorption into the synapses, blocks the transporter mechanism that reabsorbs serotonin
as a result, more of the serotonin is left in the synapse making the next transmission easier
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anti-anxiety
two common types of this drug are beta-blockers and benzodiazepines (BZs).
beta-blockers reduce adrenaline which is released during the fight or flight mode
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anti-psychotics
bind to dopamine receptors but do not trigger a post-synaptic response like dopamine would. meaning dopamine cannot bind receptors because they are already occupied so dopamine transmission is reduced
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serotonin
serotonin is a chemical that carries messages between nerve cells in the brain and throughout your body. serotonin plays a key role in such body functions as mood, sleep, digestion, nausea, wound healing, bone health, blood clotting and sexual desire
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dopamine
a chemical released in the brain that makes us feel happy
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evolutionary influences

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physical and behavioural characteristics of species have changed over time through the process of natural selection

Card 3

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localisation of brain function

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Card 4

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neurotransmitters

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Card 5

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how does the biological approach explain mental illness?

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