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Outline principles that define the biological level of analysis:
- Animal research can relate to humans
- Behaviour has a genetic basis
- Behaviour is largely due to the nervous and endocrine systems
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Explain how principles that define the biological level of analysis may be demonstrated in research (that is, theories and/or studies)
- Animal research can relate to humans
- Selye rat study
- Behaviour has a genetic basis
- Twin studies
- Behaviour is largely due to the nervous and endocrine systems
- Neurotransmitters
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Discuss how and why particular research methods are used at the biological level of analysis
- Laboratory experimentation
- Controlled, precise method of research - no side effect of affected results de to ecological validity
- Laboratory observation
- Again, controlled environment
- Case studies
- Ethical way of studying
- 'Nature created experiment' - cheaper, easier, more ethical
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Discuss ethical considerations related to research at the biological level of analysis
- Do no harm
- Lesioning of brain
- Twin studies - also privacy
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Explain one case study related to localisation of function in the brain
Broca - Case studies
- Aim - to locate the part of the brain most associated with speech
- Procedure - studied patients with stroke and brain damage, post-mortems
- Findings - Located Broca's area
- Conclusion -
- Critique - Case studies, not totally representative of population
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Using one or more examples, explain effects of neurotransmission on human behaviour
- Way individual neurons communicate
- Differing balances of chemicals in the brain can affect passing messages
- Eg. Dopamine - feelings of pleasure - lower & higher levels
- Noradrenalin - Arousal & alertness
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Using one or more examples, explain functions of two hormones in human behaviour
- Melatonin - sleep/wake cycle, production levels affected by light levels
- Cortisol - stress stuff
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Discuss two effects of the environment on physiological processes
- Jet lag - circadian rhythm, melatonin, 25 hr cycle
- Stress - Selye's study on rats
- General Adaptation syndrome
- Alert response exhaustion
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Discuss the use of brain imagining technologies in investigating the relationship between biological factors and behaviour
- fMRI - shows localisation of function
- CAT scan - series of xrays, shows bran damage & localisation of function
- PET scans - in action, show blood flow
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