IB DIPLOMAPsychology

Topic EssaysBiological Approach

LAURA SWASH & Joseph Sparks

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Page 2 IB DIPLOMA Psychology TOPIC ESSAYS: Biological Approach

Biological approach essays1. Contrast two techniques used to study the brain in relation to behaviour. (22 marks)

2. Evaluate the theory of localization of brain function, using research to support your answer. (22 marks)

3. Discuss neuroplasticity in relation to the brain and human behaviour, using research to support your answer. (22 marks)

4. To what extent can neurotransmission explain human behaviour? (22 marks)

5. Contrast two research methods used to investigate the relationship between the brain and behaviour. (22 marks)

6. Discuss ethical considerations of biological research into the relationship between the brain and behaviour. (22 marks)

7. To what extent do pheromones affect human behaviour? (22 marks)

8. Evaluate one or more theory of the effect of genes on human behaviour. (22 marks)

9. To what extent does genetic inheritance influence human behaviour? (22 marks)

10. Evaluate one evolutionary explanation for behaviour, using your knowledge of relevant research. (22 marks)

11. (HL) Discuss the value of animal models in psychological research into human behaviour. (22 marks)

12. (HL) To what extent is animal research ethical? (22 marks)

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IB DIPLOMA Psychology TOPIC ESSAYS: Biological Approach Page 17

Discuss ethical considerations of biological research into the relationship between the brain and behaviour. (22 marks)   ‘Discuss’ means that you should offer a balanced review of several ethical considerations that are relevant to this biological research, and use examples where possible.  Biologicalresearchintotherelationshipbetweenthebrainandbehaviourisfar‐reachingandincludesmethodssuchasimagingtechniques,experimentsandquasi‐experiments,andcasestudies.Ethicalguidelinestoprotectparticipantsinpsychologicalresearcharelaidoutbynationalorganizations,suchastheAmericanPsychologicalAssociationandtheBritishPsychologicalSociety.Theseguidelinesrequirethatallpsychologicalresearchispassedbyanethicscommitteetoensurethatitdoesnopsychologicalnorphysicalharm,soethicalconsiderationshavetostartlongbeforetheresearchdoes.Thenatureofbiologicalresearchmeansthatparticularethicalconditionsbecomeveryimportant.Forexample,informedconsentforwhateverprocedureisintendedisaconsideration,especiallyfrompeoplewithbraindamage.Also,alotofthedataissensitive,especiallywhenitcomestothediscoveryofinheritedgeneticconditionsofthebrain,andsoanonymityisimportantduringthetesting,andconfidentialityofdataisvitalafterwards.Therefore,thisessaywillfocusontheethicalconsiderationsofinformedconsent,anonymityofparticipantsandconfidentialityofdata. If,likeHM,theparticipantinresearchissufferingfromanydisorderthataffectstheirabilitytogiveinformedconsent,thenlegalguardiansneedtogiveconsenttotheresearch.Thisconsentshouldonlybegivenoncealloftheparticipants’rightstowithdrawthemselvesfromthestudyhavebeenmadeclear.AnextremeexampleoflegalguardiansgivingpermissioniswhenresearchersreceivepermissionfromlegalguardiansofthoseinacomatotestthemwithfMRIinordertodeterminethelevelofbrainactivity.Informedconsentshouldalsoincludeconsentregardingthedatagenerated,anditshouldbemadecleartotheparticipantthattheyownthedataandhavetherighttowithdrawitatanytime.Brainscanningusedinmanybiologicalstudiescanshowupunexpectedabnormalitiesthatmayrequiretreatment.Thedatabelongstothepatientanditistheirchoicewithwhomtoshareitandwhetherornottoagreetoacceptsuchtreatment.Therearetwowaysofapproaching

Focus:theintroductiondescribestheissueofethicalconsiderations.Knowledgeandunderstanding:explanationofthethreeethicalconsiderationsthataretobediscussed.Knowledgeandunderstanding:discussionoftheissueofconsent.Useofresearchtosupportanswer:introductionofthecasestudyofHM.

Page 18 IB DIPLOMA Psychology TOPIC ESSAYS: Biological Approach

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this:eithertheparticipantsignsaninformedconsentthatsaystheydon’twanttoknowaboutanypossibleabnormalresults;ortheysigntosaythattheyagreetobeinformed,oncephysicianswhoarequalifiedtoreadanyscanshaveconfirmedasuspiciousfinding.Tullyetal.(2008)conductedresearchintotheinfluenceofenvironmentalfactorsontheriskforpsychopathologyinadoptedandnon‐adoptedadolescentchildrenofdepressedparents.Theresearchersnotedthatallparticipantsgaveinformedconsent.But,assomeoftheparticipantswereasyoungas11yearsold,wemustassumethatthisconsent,forpsychologicaltestingandself‐reportofsymptoms,wasgivenbytheparents,whowerethemselvespartofthesamestudy.Thisisanimportantconsideration–theparents’desiretotakepartinthestudymaywellhaveoverriddenanydoubtsthechildrenhad.Parentsconsentingforchildrenundertheageof16,whentheparentsthemselveshaveaninterestinthestudy,isinitselfanethicalissue. Anonymityofparticipantsbefore,duringandaftertheresearchisusuallyguaranteedthroughthegivingofnumbersorpseudonyms.Thisprotectstheiridentityfromtheresearchersandfromotherparticipants.Itisnotalwayspossiblefortheresearchertonotknowtheiridentityatall,especiallywhennamesarecollectedfrompreviouslists,butthisshouldbeaconsideration.McGuffinetal.(1996),intheirresearchtoestimatethecontributionofgenesandsharedfamilyenvironmentonthetendencyofhavingmajordepressivedisorder,gathereddatafromhospitalrecords.Thiswasastudyof177twins(probands)sufferingfrommajordepressionbetween1948and1986andtheirsame‐sexco‐twins.ThesamplewastakenfromtheMaudsleyhospital(London)register.Diagnosticassessmentsanddetailedinterviewswerecarriedout,andtheinterviewerswereblindastowhetherthetwinwasoneofidentical(MZ)ornon‐identical(DZ)twinsandalsohadnoinformationonthementalhealthoftheothermemberofthetwinpair.Onetwinwasusuallyinterviewedbyadifferentresearchertotheother.However,asthenameswereoriginallygatheredfromhospitalrecordsanddoctors’reportsfromthehospital,andreportsfromfamilydoctorswerealsoinvestigated,thensomeoftheresearchersmusthaveknownthetrueidentityoftheparticipants.Confidentialityofdataissomethingthatshouldbeaddressedintheinformedconsent:itmeansthatthedatagatheredshouldnotbetraceablebacktoparticipantsiftheresearchis

Criticalthinking,applicationofinformedconsenttootherareasoftheresearch.Useofresearchtosupportanswer;Introductionofissueofinformedconsentwithadolescents.Criticalthinking:applicationofthisissue.Knowledgeandunderstanding:anonymityasanethicalconsideration.Useofresearchtosupportanswer:issueofanonymityofparticipantswhennamesaretakenfromahospitallist.

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IB DIPLOMA Psychology TOPIC ESSAYS: Biological Approach Page 19

madeavailabletoanyoneoutsidetheresearchteam,throughsharingorpublication.Iftheresearchismedicalinnature,psychologistsmayaskforconsenttoshareinformationordiscusscarewithotherhealthcareprofessionals,andthiscanbegivenintheinformedconsent.However,itdoesnothavetobegivenandthedecisiontobreaktheconfidentialityofthedataistheparticipant’salone,nottheresearcher’s.Confidentialityofdatabecomesparticularlyimportantwhenpublishingresearch.Withcasestudiesofparticularinstitutions,forexample,theinstitutionneedstobedisguised,aswellastheparticipantsintheresearch.Becausebiologicalresearchisoftencarriedouttoinvestigatesensitivetopics,andparticipantsaresometimespeoplewholackthecapacitytogiveinformedconsentorrecognisetheimportanceofanonymityandconfidentiality,ethicalconsiderationsareparticularlyimportantinpsychologicalresearchwithinthebiologicalapproach.[~925Words]

Knowledgeandunderstanding:ethicalconsiderationofconfidentialityofdatadescribed.Criticalthinking:howcasestudymethodologymayaffectconfidentiality.Clarityandorganization:clearandorganizedthroughout.

 ExaminerStyleComments: 16‐22MarksThisisawell‐constructedessaythatusesevidencetosupporttheanswer,withoutallowingthistolapseintodescriptionratherthandiscussion.Itwouldhavegainedmarksinthehighestleveldescriptorforeachcriterion.  

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