The Biological Perspective
Genes and Heredity
Physiological Psychology
• Physiology is the scientific
study of living organisms
and is concerned with
functions and processes
that sustain life. In
contrast, anatomy is the
study of the structures of
living organisms.
Psychologists are
interested in the
physiology of animals
especially human beings.
• This is because of the
importance of our nervous
system particularly the
brain, and because of its
role in how we behave,
think and sense the world
around us. Physiological
psychologists are also
interested in the
interaction of the physical
body and the mind. The
body can affect the mind,
as shown by the effects of
alcohol. In turn the mind
can affect the body, for
example, extreme stress
may cause tiredness and
lethargy.
What do Bio psychologists think?
• Bio psychologists
generally regard the brain
and the mind to be the
same thing.
• Others regard mental life
as not physical, and hence
different to brain functions.
This is known as the mind
body problem and was
first raised by the French
philosopher Rene
Descartes (1596-1650)
http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=7GzBeS8KDcY
The Genetic basis of behaviour
• Genetics is the study of the genetic make-up of organisms
and how this influences physical and behavioural
characteristics.
• Heredity is the traits, tendencies and characteristics
inherited from a person’s parents and their ancestors
(Carlson and Buskist 1997).
• We can see from these definitions that genetics and
heredity are similar. Heredity concentrates on what we
inherit from our parents. Genetics, by contrast, is less
concerned with inheritance and more interested in hoe
genes determine the physical and psychological
characteristics of a person.
Darwin’s theory of evolution
• This states that human beings have evolved over
millions of years. Evolution has brought us from
very simple creatures that lived in the water.
What we have evolved over this time is genes.
Genes are units of inheritance that are passed on
to future generations through sexual reproduction.
• Genes are found in the nucleus of each cell in the
body and exist in pairs located on pairs of
chromosomes. In humans there are 46
chromosomes arranged into 23 pairs. Genes are
the unit of inheritance that determines the colour
of our eyes, for example.
What do Bio-psychologists think?
• Biological psychologists claim that psychological
characteristics such as intelligence and
personality are determined by our genetic
inheritance.
• It is also claimed that some psychological
disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar
depression, are a result of our genes. Genes,
then, not only determine human physical
characteristics, but might also determine
numerous psychological ones as well.
A2 Biopsychology
• The biological perspective is, broadly speaking, concerned
with how our genetic inheritance, evolution of the human
species and the nervous system (both central and
peripheral) affect how we think, feel and behave.
• More particularly, the biological perspective, looks at how
well a person adapts and adjusts in life. Maladaptiveness
may be seen in terms of a person suffering from
psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia and
depression or being aggressive towards other people.
Hence, the biological perspective seeks to discover how
the genes we inherit from our parents may have a role to
play in these and other types of maladaptive behaviours.
• The biological perspective is also concerned with
understanding how our central and peripheral nervous
systems, particularly the brain, affect how we think, feel
and behave. Questions arise within the bio perspective
such as how the brain and the mind interact and are related
(mind-body debate). Also of interest is how the brain, a
physical organ, can produce the psychological experience
of awareness of things around us and consciousness.
These are matters that physiological psychologists find
difficult to answer.
Other issues Bio-psychology raises
• The Bio-perspective also
raises the issue of the
relative contribution of
nature and nurture to
mental abilities such as
intelligence and actual
behaviours (such as
schizophrenia and
aggression). Commonly
called the nature/nurture
debate or the debate
about the relative
contribution of heredity
and environment.
Recent developments
• A recent development in
biological psychology is
called evolutionary
psychology which is
defined as follows:
‘Evolutionary psychology
is the study of the
evolutionary origin of
human behaviour
patterns… that may
influence everything from
sexual attraction, infidelity
and jealousy to divorce.’
(Coon 2002)
• One area that has been extensively researched within a
biological/evolutionary psychology perspective is that of
human mating or sexual preferences. Buss (1994) studied
attitudes and behaviours of men and women across 37
different cultures towards sexual behaviour. He found that
men compared to women are more interested in casual
sex, prefer a younger partner and get more jealous over
sexual infidelity on the part of the woman. By contrast,
women prefer older partners, are less upset by sexual
infidelity but more upset by a man becoming emotionally
involved with another woman.
• Buss (1994) attributes these differences to mating
preferences that have evolved in response to the
reproductive demands placed on men with providing for the
family. Although this traditional pattern has dramatically
changed in more westernised societies. Evolutionary theory
explains the male concern with sexual infidelity by the
female partner as to do with concern over the paternity of
offspring.
Evaluative Comment
• Evolutionary psychology presents and, to some
extent, justifies a traditional male and female role
in the family. It has to be noted that other
explanations of the findings of Buss (1994) are
possible. For example, that generally speaking
the male controls money and resources.