1. The Biological Approach – Key assumptions

2. Starter
What things do you have in common with your parents? Write down a few ideas on your handout.
Looking at what you have written down, are these things due to biological influences, or the environment?
Highlight in two different colours

3. What is the biological approach?
The biological approach combines psychology and biology to provide physiological explanations for human behaviour.
Biological psychology tries to explain how we think, feel and behave in terms of physical factors within the body.

4. Nature vs. Nurture
With regards to the nature vs. nurture debate, the biological approach falls on the side of ___________.
VS.

5. What is the biological approach?
The biological approach explains human behaviour in terms of neurotransmitters, hormones, genes and brain structures.
What do you already know about these four things?
BRAINSTORM

6. THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF NEURONS
Pg 3
Read the sheet, label the diagram, and describe how neurons work

7. Neuron

8. Synapse

9. Video
In small groups, act out the way that neurons convey messages to each other

10. THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE BRAIN
The central nervous system is made up of two parts, the _____ and the _____ ____.
The two halves of the brain are called ____________
There are roughly ________ neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
brain
spinal cord
hemispheres
12 billion

11. THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE BRAIN
Read the passage in the book, and label the lobes of the brain A B C

12. Brain Lateralisation Left Side Speech Analysis Time Sequence
Recognises
Words
Letters
Numbers
Controls
The right side of the body
Right Side
Creativity
Patterns
Spatial
Context
Recognises
Faces
Objects
Places
Controls
The left side of the body

13. THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM Hormones What do hormones do? What are hormones?
Testosterone
Oestrogen
Adrenaline

14. GENETIC EXPLANATIONS
Genes interact with one another to produce an effect on behaviour.
Genes however, do not control all human characteristics because the environment also has a part to play.
We inherit 23 chromosomes from each parent, and it is thought that our genes can account for many of the similarities between family members.

15. GENETIC EXPLANATIONS
Can you think of a family where many of the members have something in common?
It could be a physical trait (hair, eye colour, height etc) or a personality trait or talent (music, running, annoying laugh etc).

16. GENETIC EXPLANATIONS
Do you think the similarities you have mentioned above are due to genetic or environmental factors?
How could genes and environment interact to produce a person who is good at football?
What about someone who suffers from depression?

17. Key Terms “You Say We Pay”
Central Nervous System
The endocrine system
Hormones
Neuron
Lobe
Neurotransmitter
Nature
Synapse
Receptor
Testosterone
Genes
Nurture