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The biological approach and treatment

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Learning objectives

By the end of this section students will be able to:

Identify and explain key features of the biological approach to psychopathology

Evaluate the biological approach to psychopathology

Icons key: For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation

Teacher’s notes (in Notes Page)

Extension activity Sound Video

Accompanying worksheetFlash activity (not editable)

Web links

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Brain lateralization

The brain is divided into two hemispheres. These are joined by the corpus callosum, which is a bundle of nerve fibres that transmits information between them.

Brain lateralization is the division of function between the two hemispheres of the brain. The left hemisphere specializes in vocabulary and analytical thought whilst the right hemisphere specializes in intuition, emotions and intonation of speech.

Lateralization increases the efficiency of brain activity but most people are dominated by one hemisphere. This is called brain dominance.

The dominant hemisphere can affect the behaviour of individuals, for example, left-brained people may be more analytical.

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Left brained or right brained?

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The central nervous system

The CNS processes sensory information and coordinates the body’s responses to stimuli.

The spinal cord conducts sensory information from the peripheral nervous system to the brain. It also conducts motor information from the brain to muscles and glands.

The central nervous system (CNS) is the largest part of the nervous system and includes the brain and the spinal cord.

The CNS controls behaviour, so the biological approach focuses on how abnormalities in the CNS cause psychopathology.

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Biological approach to psychopathology

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Evaluation of the biological approach

Denies responsibility: people are not held responsible for their actions or treatment. Recovery is more effective when affected individuals hold responsibility.

+ Strengths - Weaknesses

Physiological evidence: the approach is supported by evidence from brain scans and post-mortems.

No blame: sufferers feel no guilt for their illness.

Reductionist: the behavioural approach breaks down complex behaviour into brain activity and does not take into account external factors, like the environment.