Ch. 4, Lesson 1: The Brain and Behavior

Which of the following statements is not true about the biological approach?

Often behaviours can be described by a single biological factor. (~ Our behaviour is the result of the interaction of biological and environmental factors, ~ animals can be used to understand human behaviour, and ~behaviours can be passed down from generation to generation via genetics are true). Biologists tend to recognize the complexity of human behaviour and don't assume that we can attribute behaviour to a single gene, hormone or neurotransmitter. This is an overly reductionist approach.

Which of the following is not a reason for carrying out research on animals?

Researchers aren't bound to ethical considerations like they are in human research. (Some actual reasons are ~ Many animals - such as chimpanzees and mice - have a similar genetic makeup to humans ~ Research can be carried out on animals that would ethically problematic with humans. ~ Animals and humans have similar physiology - that is, brains, nervous systems and endocrine systems). Although it is true that psychologists can do some research that they would not be allowed to do on humans, you will see that there are still ethical considerations that must be met if the research is to be approved.

Which of the following is not an example of a physiological factor?

Stress in the workplace (hormones, brain damage, and genetic inheritance are). Stress in the workplace is an environmental factor; it may, however, lead to a physiological response involving hormones.

The relationship between biological factors and behaviour is _, or biology may affect behaviour and cognition, and the other way around.

bidirectional

The biological approach is based on certain assumptions about human behaviour, the most basic assumption being there are _ of behaviour, or complex human behaviours may be reduced to biological origins. The other two are _.

biological correlates; behaviors can be inherited and animal research can provide insight into human behavior

Psychologists argue that there is not a single gene for a behaviour, but rather that a _ may lead to physiological processes that result in a behaviour.

combination of genetic expression

Physiology doesn't always work on its own; for example, physiology responds to _, such as a stressful or happy experience, or an attractive person walking by.

environmental stimuli

Biologists argue that when genes interact with the environment, they are "turned on" or "turned off." This process is known as _.

gene expression

An _ uses different approaches - biological, cognitive and sociocultal - to get a richer understanding of behaviour and adopt a more holistic picture of human behaviour.

interactionist approach

The _ is one of the major controversies in the history of psychology, in which researchers debated whether human behaviour is the result of biological or environmental factors.

nature versus nurture debate

Biological, physiological factors can play a role in behaviour and cognition: _.

neurotransmitters, hormones, brain structure and genes/genetics

If a researcher only focuses on a single biological factor to explain a complex human behaviour, this is a _. This approach analyzes a complex behaviour by studying the simplest, most basic mechanisms that are believed to be responsible for the behaviour.

reductionist approach