1. You need to be able to:
1. Describe the biological approach to
psychopathology.
2. Describe 3 biological causes of
psychopathology.
3. Outline the nature-nurture debate in
relation to the biological approach.

2. 1. A short description of the biological
approach to psychopathology. Make sure
you include technical terminology. This is
your A01 material.
3. An outline of the nature-nurture debate
and how it relates to the biological approach
to psychopathology.
2. A short explanation of 3 biological
causes of psychopathology.
You need to have produced:

4. According to the biological
approach or medical model
abnormal behaviour reflects an
underlying ‘disease’ process and
can be thought of as an illness.
The Biological Approach

5. Mental health problems are regarded as illnesses.
Mental health problems are caused by damaged or
malfunctioning biology.

7. Different parts of the brain
control specific psychological and
physical processes:
How we think.
What we feel.
Our behaviour.

9. Neurons

11. Abnormal biochemistry
Neurotransmitters are the chemicals
that brain cells use to communicate.
Biological cause 1
An imbalance in neurotransmitters can
lead to abnormal thinking, feeling and
behaviour.

13. According to the biological approach depression is
linked to an imbalance in a neurotransmitter
called serotonin.
People become depressed when the level of
serotonin in in areas of the brain that regulate
feelings is too low.

15. According to the biological approach schizophrenia
is linked to an imbalance in a neurotransmitter called
dopamine.
People become schizophrenic when the level of
dopamine in the brain is too high.

16. Biological cause 2
Abnormal neuroanatomy
Depression may be caused by structural abnormalities in the
brain.
Schizophrenia may be caused by tissue loss in the brain, especially
grey matter.
Research has shown that schizophrenics have enlarged spaces in
their brains due to the shrinkage of brain tissue.

20. Biological cause 3
Genetics
According to the
biological approach we
inherit mental illnesses in
the same way we may
inherit physical
characteristics.

21. Read p.184 of your textbook:
‘Genetic inheritance’

22. (a) List three biological causes
of psychopathology (3 marks)
(b) Outline one of the causes
selected in (a) (3 marks)

23. Psychopathology results
from disorders of
biological systems.
Mental disorders are
‘illnesses’ and treated
like physical illness.
Biological approach