Understanding the Biological Approach in Psychology

AS Psychology: Biological Approach Notes

Ready to dive into how biology shapes human behaviour? The biological approach is one of the most fascinating perspectives in psychology because it connects our mental experiences to physical processes happening inside our bodies.

This approach examines three key assumptions: evolutionary influences, brain localisation, and neurotransmitters. You'll also explore how these biological principles are applied in psychosurgery treatments.

Quick Tip: Remember that the biological approach sees mental processes as having physical causes - this is the foundation for understanding everything that follows!

Evolutionary Influences

Ever wondered why dating apps work the way they do? Evolutionary psychology explains human behaviour through Darwin's theory of natural selection - basically, we've inherited traits that helped our ancestors survive and reproduce.

The idea is simple: people with characteristics that helped them survive were more likely to have children and pass on their genes. This process, called 'survival of the fittest', means many of our modern behaviours evolved because they once gave our ancestors an advantage.

Trivers' research shows this perfectly in romantic relationships. Women typically look for partners who can provide resources and security (because pregnancy requires huge investment), whilst men often prioritise youth and fertility (because they can potentially have many offspring). These preferences aren't conscious choices - they're evolutionary patterns hardwired into our behaviour.

Real-world connection: Next time you see dating preferences, think about how they might reflect evolutionary survival strategies rather than just personal taste.

Localisation of Brain Function

Your brain isn't just one big thinking machine - it's more like a highly organised office where different departments handle specific jobs. Localisation of brain function means that particular areas of your brain are responsible for different tasks.

The cerebral cortex contains four main regions called lobes. Your frontal lobes handle thinking and personality, parietal lobes process touch and temperature, temporal lobes deal with memory and hearing, and occipital lobes manage vision.

Broca and Wernicke discovered this by studying patients with brain damage. They found that damage to Broca's area (in the frontal lobe) affected speech production, whilst damage to Wernicke's area (in the temporal lobe) impaired language understanding. This proved that specific brain regions control particular functions.

Study tip: Remember the language areas by thinking "Broca = Broken speech production" and "Wernicke = Won't understand words."

Neurotransmitters

Think of neurotransmitters as your brain's postal service - they're chemical messengers that carry information between brain cells (neurons). When electrical signals reach a gap between neurons (called a synapse), they convert to chemicals to cross over, then change back to electrical signals.

Different neurotransmitters have different jobs. Dopamine controls movement and emotions - when you're low on dopamine, you might feel depressed. Serotonin affects mood, sleep, and digestion, which is why antidepressants often target serotonin levels.

Aron's research found that dopamine plays a massive role in romantic attraction by activating reward centres in your brain. This explains why meeting someone attractive can literally feel like a drug hit - because neurologically, it almost is!

Memory trick: Think "Dopamine = Delight" and "Serotonin = Serenity" to remember their mood-related functions.

Formation of Relationships Through Neurotransmitters

Want to understand love at first sight? Neurotransmitters show how relationships form through pure brain chemistry rather than just emotional connection.

Oxytocin is often called the 'love hormone' because it creates powerful bonds between people. Originally linked to childbirth and breastfeeding, scientists discovered it's crucial for forming all close relationships.

When a newborn is placed on their mother's chest, oxytocin floods both their systems. This skin-to-skin contact helps them learn each other's scent and creates an immediate bond. During breastfeeding, more oxytocin is released, strengthening this relationship even further.

This biological process explains why the mother-baby bond feels so powerful and immediate - it's literally hardwired into our brain chemistry to ensure infant survival.

Think about it: Consider how this might explain why physical touch is so important in all close relationships, not just between parents and children.

Psychosurgery: The Medical Model

If mental health problems are caused by faulty brain biology, then fixing the brain should cure the problem, right? This is the logic behind psychosurgery - treating psychological disorders through direct brain manipulation.

The medical model treats mental illness just like physical illness: identify the symptoms, diagnose the problem, then treat it physically. Instead of talking therapy, this approach uses surgery to alter brain structure or function.

Localisation of brain function guides where surgeons operate - if depression comes from specific brain areas, then destroying or changing those areas should help. Neurotransmitters are also targeted through brain stimulation to increase levels of mood-regulating chemicals like serotonin.

This approach assumes that mental disorders have clear biological causes that can be fixed through medical intervention, rather than being influenced by life experiences or personal choices.

Critical thinking: Consider whether treating the brain directly addresses the root cause of mental illness or just the symptoms.

Types of Psychosurgery

Prefrontal lobotomy involves destroying nerve fibres in the frontal lobe to reduce severe mental illness symptoms. This area controls impulses and mood, so damaging it was thought to calm violent or distressed patients.

Prefrontal leucotomy, developed by Egas Moniz in the 1930s, involved drilling holes in the skull and using an ice-pick-like tool to destroy brain tissue. He later created a 'leucotome' with a retractable wire loop to cut nerve pathways more precisely.

Transorbital lobotomy was even more brutal - after knocking patients unconscious with electric shocks, surgeons inserted an ice pick through the eye socket into the brain. They'd wiggle it around to destroy connections, then repeat on the other eye.

These early techniques were essentially guesswork since surgeons couldn't see inside the living brain. Success was measured more by whether patients became easier to manage rather than whether they actually recovered.

Historical context: These procedures were performed on thousands of patients before we understood how dangerous and often ineffective they were.

Modern Psychosurgery Techniques

Today's psychosurgery is far more precise thanks to advanced technology. Stereotactic surgery uses MRI scans and computer guidance to target exact brain locations, then destroys tissue with focused gamma rays from multiple angles.

Cingulotomy treats OCD by interrupting overactive brain circuits. Surgeons either heat electrode tips to burn tissue or use a 'gamma knife' to focus radiation beams - no cutting required.

Capsulotomy involves inserting heated probes through the skull to burn tiny portions of the capsule region near the hypothalamus, disrupting problematic brain circuits.

Deep brain stimulation is the most modern approach - wires threaded through the skull connect to a chest battery pack that sends adjustable electrical currents to interrupt abnormal brain activity. Unlike other methods, this doesn't destroy tissue and can be reversed.

Progress check: Notice how modern techniques are more targeted, less destructive, and often reversible compared to historical methods.

The Psychosurgery Process

Getting psychosurgery involves several careful steps. First, you'd consult a medical professional about your symptoms, who would diagnose your condition and determine if surgery is appropriate.

After admission to hospital, the specific type of surgery depends on your condition. Recovery time varies, but you'd typically need a responsible adult to care for you for one to three days after the procedure.

Follow-up appointments monitor your progress to determine whether the surgery was successful. This evaluation looks at behaviour changes and symptom reduction rather than just physical healing.

The entire process reflects the medical model approach - treating mental illness through physical intervention rather than psychological therapy.

Important note: Psychosurgery is only considered for severe cases where other treatments have failed, due to its irreversible nature and potential risks.

Evaluating Psychosurgery Effectiveness

Research by Cosgrove and Rauch (2001) found mixed success rates for psychosurgery - cingulotomy helped 56% of OCD patients, whilst capsulotomy was successful for 67%. This shows the treatment can work, potentially transforming lives for those who respond well.

However, these success rates aren't 100%, meaning many patients don't improve significantly. This suggests psychosurgery might need combining with other treatments like medication or therapy for maximum effectiveness.

Modern technology has dramatically improved outcomes compared to historical techniques. Today's surgeons can see exactly where they're operating and target specific problem areas, rather than making educated guesses about brain anatomy.

Unlike early lobotomies that often left patients in vegetative states, current procedures are much safer and more likely to produce genuine improvement rather than just making patients easier to manage.

Bottom line: While psychosurgery has become more effective and safer over time, it remains a last resort treatment with significant risks and variable success rates.