1a. Outline the clinical characteristics of OCD. [4] The DSM-4 states that for one to be diagnosed with OCD‚ one must have either obsessions‚ compulsions or both. To be diagnosed with having obsessions‚ the patient must have recurring‚ persistent intrusive thoughts that cause marked distress or anxiety‚ and must have insight into the fact that the thoughts are a product of their own mind. To have compulsions‚ the patient must feel the need to repeat physical behaviours‚ which occur as a response
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Biological explanations for anorexia nervosa Biological explanations for anorexia nervosa include neural explanations and evolutionary explanations. 1st BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION - Neurotransmitters -Serotonin Disturbances in the levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin appear to be a characteristic of individuals with eating disorders. Kaye 2005 found a reduction in the levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA in people with eating disorders. This suggests that brain serotonin pathways are underactive
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Discuss issues of reliability and validity associated with the classification and diagnosis of phobic disorders (24 marks) The biological explanation for the acquisition of phobic disorders establishes that phobias are caused by genetics‚ innate influences and the principles of biochemistry. This theory recognizes that an oversensitive fear response may be inherited‚ causing abnormal levels of anxiety. This is illustrated in the basis of inheritance‚ particularly the adrenergic theory that convicts
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Biological explanation of phobias Genetic factors One biological explanation for the cause of phobic disorders suggests that we can relate it back to our genetics. This theory values the ‘nature’ side in the nature vs nurture debate. This theory uses twin studies to try and separate genetic factors from environmental factors in order to draw a causal conclusion between genetics and phobias. If a closer concordance rate was found between MZ and DZ twins we could suggest a genetic inheritance
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According to the biological approach the mental disorder Schizophrenia will have an underlying physical cause such as imbalance of hormones‚ brain damage and infection. There is strong evidence that biological factors influence the presence of Schizophrenia. There are certain chemical abnormalities that can be observed in people suffering from schizophrenia. Post-mortems on schizophrenics have shown unusually high levels of dopamine. Dopamine is a brain chemical that increases the sensitivity of
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words: schiz meaning split’ and phren meaning mind’. DSM IV (1994) estimate that the occurrence rate of schizophrenia ranges from 0.2%-2.0% worldwide. There are two main explanations of schizophrenia: the biological explanations and the psychological explanations. In this essay I will critically consider the biological explanations. These include genetics‚ neurochemistry‚ brain structure and evolution. Genetic factors of schizophrenia can be explained using studies on twins and studies on family
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Discuss evolutionary explanations of group displays of aggression The adaptive and functional benefits of aggressive behaviour must outweigh the possible costs in order for it to be favourable. Acquisition of status and access to mates are some of the primary motivators of aggression in non-human animals‚ but there are many theories as to why humans have adapted. One of them is the Power-Threat Hypothesis‚ which represents the fear of a political power being in the hands of a minority group. If a
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Cesare Lombroso’s biological explanations: How relevant are they to modern criminal psychology? Cesare Lombroso is thought of by many as the founding father of criminal psychology (Kushner 2011; Assael & Avanzini‚ 1997; Granieri and Fazio‚ 2011). When Lombroso was alive his theories on the biological explanations of crime were seen as cutting edge (Kurella‚ 1911) but after death his theories were ridiculed and denigrated (Gatti & Verde‚ 2012) with Abraham Verghese referring to them as “pseudoscience
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Describe and evaluate the biological explanation of gender development. Give evidence in your answer. (10 marks) The biological approach states that human beings have evolved so that males and females possess different chromosomes that trigger the production of different levels of certain hormones. It is these hormonal differences between the sexes that lead to differences in behaviour. This allows for males and females to perform different roles in reproduction thus ensuring the survival of
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Outline and Evaluate Evolutionary Explanations for Human Aggression. (25 Marks) . The high incidence of aggressive behaviour across cultures and through time has led evolutionary psychologist to conclude that the adaptive and functional benefits of aggressive behaviour must outweigh the possible costs (Buss and Duntley‚ 2006). From an evolutionary perspective humans are most likely to survive if they have access to resources (food‚ water and territory); if they can defend their resources and
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