Clinical psychology dep.

Biological approach in psychology

Present by

Darya Rostem

Clinical psychologist

Biological psychology

This viewpoint emphasizes the impact of biology on our behavior.

Psychobiologists study how

the brain, the nervous system, and hormones and genetics influence our behavior.

The main concern of this approach

1. The relationship between mind and body

2. The effects mind on body.

3. the influence of heredity on behavior.

How do biopsychologists explain human behavior?

Genetics

Brain structure & functions

Nervous system

Genetic inheritance. It is assumed that genes have a major effect on developing mental illness.

• genetic influences in particular types of behavior, These genes are thought to influence the development of the nervous system, making it vulnerable to malfunctioning in certain ways that produce the symptoms of the disorder.

• Kendler et al. (1985) found that relatives of schizophrenics were 18 times more likely to develop the illness than a matched control group.

Brain areas

biopsychological explanations often focus on which brain areas are responsible for which types ofthinking or behaviour and how they connect with other functions and brain areas.

For example;

Broca’s area, which controls the production of speech and Wernicke’s area, which controls the comprehension of speech.

Bio-chemistry. Chemical imbalance in the brain may be involved in certain mental illness.

• For example, too much Dopamine has been detected in the brains of Schizophrenia.

The major neurotransmitters and their function and location

The main assumptions of biological approach

A mental illness is similar to a physical illness, both have a physical causes.

Organic disorders

• E.g. Alzheimer disease

Functional disorders

• E.g. Depression

Infection

• Barr et al. (1990) found increased levels of schizophrenia amongst mothers who had ‘flu’ during they were pregnant.

• This suggest a possible link between infection and schizophrenia.

Mental illness has a physiological causes, needs physiological treatment

1) Psychosurgery

1) ECT (Electro-Convulsive Therapy)

2) Chemotherapy (drug)

Psychosurgery

• Is an invasive medical treatment that involves the deliberate destruction of tiny amount of brain tissue in order to treat mental illness, such as clinical depression.

ECT (Electro-Convulsive Therapy)

• is a procedure, done under general anesthesia, in which small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses.

Chemotherapy (drug)

• used to treat psychological disorders with medications

Methodology in biological psychology

• Genetics study

1. Twins study

2. Adoption study

3. Family study

• Scans

1. FMRI

2. MRI

Methodology in biological psychology

• Case study • Post mortem study of the brain

Some of the subfield of biological psychology

Biological approaches Research procedures used

1. Physiological psychology Direct manipulation on the nerve system, chemical and electrical activities of the neurons……

2. Psychopharmacology Focus on the effects of the drug on brain activity and behavior.

3. neuropsychology Focus on brain dysfunction and behavioral problems caused by the Brain damage in humans.

4. Psychophysiology Examines physiological activities related to psychological processes. Such as heat rate, respiration rate, and using EEG (brainwave activity during thinking)

Strength point

• One strength of the biological approach is that it is very scientific. This is a strength because the experiments used are measurable, objective and can be repeated to test for reliability.

• This approach supported by empirical evidence.

• One strength of the biological approach is that the treatment can be used directly.

Such as, depression : Prozac

Anxiety : Librium

Weakness point

• One weakness of the biological approach is that it focuses too much on the 'nature' side of the nature/nurture debate. It argues that behaviour is caused by hormones, neurotransmitters and genetics. One theory is that schizophrenia is genetic, however, twin studies show that it is not completely genetic and the environment has a part to play.

• The therapies offered by the biological approach can have serious side effects. i.e. Tardive dyskinesia

• The main limitation of the biological approach is that it may be useful in dealing with the symptoms of mental illness but it may not be effective in resolving the underlying causes.