A-Level Psychology
Assignment Title: The biological approach to Psychology
1. Explain what introspection is? (2 marks)
2. Outline and evaluate the biological approach to explaining Behaviour? (12 marks)
3. Complete the table below by writing which definition A, B, C or D describes which term. One
definition will be left over? (3 marks)
A. This system acts with the central nervous system and transmits/receives information in most of
the body.
B. This is the system which affects the transfer and secretion of hormones throughout the body.
C. This system is made up of the brain and spinal cord.
D. This system helps digest food.
Term
Central Nervous system
Endocrine System
Peripheral nervous system
Definition (A,B,C or D)
4. Describe how the evolutionary process might explain IQ scores increasing across generations? (4
marks)
5. Identical twins sometimes do not achieve similar grades at school despite being very similar in lots
of ways. With reference to the terms genotype and phenotype, explain how this could occur? (4
marks)
6. Researchers investigating the possible genetic cause of a mental illness decided to use data on twin
concordance rates to ascertain the possibility of genetic influence.
MZ (identical) twins were 30% concordant and DZ (non-identical) twins were 15% concordant. The
researchers used these figures to conclude that there is a genetic influence on developing the
illness.
Explain why they are justified in reaching this conclusion? (3 marks)
7. Discuss biological explanations of human behaviour. Use at least two alternative approaches as a
comparison in your answer? (16 marks)
Resources:
http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199534067.001.0001/acr
ef-9780199534067
http://www.simplypsychology.org/biological-psychology.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_neuroscience
For the course:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/as-and-a-level/psychology-7181-7182