Biological

Explanation of
Behavior
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Categories of Biological basis of behavior:
• Physiological
• Ontogenetic
• Evolutionary
• Functional
Basis of genetics and its fundamental concepts
Heritability
Methods of study: twin studies, adoption studies
Gene-environment interaction
Modern Development in Neuropsychology
Physiological Explanation
Physiological Explanation

• Relates a behavior to the activity of the brain and other organs.

• Physiological Psychology and Biological Psychology.
• focuses on uncovering the neural underpinnings of
how individuals with different nervous systems behave differently,
• how these differences in behavior may result from an underlying
neurophysiological basis, and
• how these neural processes contribute to the production of
behavioral traits.
Physiological Explanation-Example

We can say that the experiments and researches that prove the
existence of an underlying neurophysiological basis for the
manifestation of behavior come into this category.
• Example:
Experiment on the role of the hippocampus in learning
and memory in the rat
Functional Explanation
 Functional Explanation

• describes why a structure or behavior evolved as it did.

• The function of the behavior is defined as a response to particular
contingencies in the environment or in the person.
• Contingencies are the causal relations between the behavior (the response)
and things that happen before it (antecedents) or after it (the consequences).
 Functional Explanation-Example:

• In 1977, Carr proposed that self-injury in this client group may be a learned
behavior that is maintained through reinforcement – for example, receiving
attention from other people following the behavior, or as a means to escape
an activity or stimulus that they found aversive.
• Iwata and colleagues (e.g. 1994; Lerman & Iwata, 1993) later analyzed the
function of the self-injury behavior and, from this,
the causes of the behavior were identified.
Ontogenetic Explanation
Ontogenetic Explanation

• Understanding in terms of how a structure

or a behavior develops.
• Analysis of organism's development and
changes it undergoes over time.
• Includes genetic factors, environmental
factors, and cultural factors.
Ontogenetic Explanation

Ontogenetic explanations are important in many areas of psychology, including;

Developmental psychology

 how children's cognitive and social development progresses over time.

Cognitive psychology

 how cognitive processes such as memory and attention develop over time.

Social psychology

 how cultural and social factors shape individual behavior.

Evolutionary Explanation
Evolutionary Explanation

"We have evolved to behave in ways that will

increase the chances of survival (and thus passing on our genes)"

"The genetics that are passed on will influence our

physiology in a way that promotes the adaptive behaviour"

Evolutionary Explanation

Example:
Fear is a healthy adaptation, as is the ability to learn
to be afraid of something (fear conditioning)

“Does evolution influence behaviour, or does

behaviour influence evolution?”
 GENETICS OF BEHAVIOR

• Sir Francis Galton(1822-1911)

•Psychogenetics
•Behaviour?
•Genetics?
•Behavioral Genetics?
BEHAVIOR GENETICS
 BASICS OF GENETICS
Is there a biological reason
• Why girls tend to like dolls and clothes?
• Why boys tend to like car and guns?
• Or children are nurtured to like by their parents and other societal factors?
Nature Vs Nurture
A Point for Nature A Point for Nurture
Studies show that we inherit genes Often identical Twins grow up to have
that are related to certain personality different personalities and
traits? preferences.
Methods of study:

Twin studies
Nature Vs Nurture
We know that BOTH help shape our behavior.
Which one has GREATER influence on human behavior?
ADOPTIVE STUDIES
(Behavioral genetics tries to answer this question)

Will this
child be
more like
his birth
parents or
adoptive
parents?
Behavioral Genetics (Conclusion)
•Seeks to understand genetic and environmental contributions to
individual variations in human behavior
•Genetics alone could never define behavior.
•Environment plays a significant role in genetic expression.
•It focuses on identifying specific genes that effect behavioral
dimensions such as personality, intelligence, depression, and
schizophrenia.
 Modern Development in Neuropsychology
• Neuropsychology has changed alot over the past years and is constantly evolving with
ongoing developments that enhance our understanding of brain and behavior
It has increased the awareness of the importance of neuropsychological work in science.
• Mostly neuropsychologists still use the traditional paper and pencil,
client oriented approaches for assessing brain related behaviors but some
of the changes that are going to be implemented in the future are:
Teleneuropsychological assessment: where patients are assessed remotely through
telephone and video
Cell phone recording apps: where we can obtain data in the real world in real time
from patients
Virtual reality systems developed by Dr Albert Rizzo: Putting people in simulations
of their fear environment systematically making it a bit more provocative.
Wearable monitors and multi-sensory devices: that allow us to record multimodal
data in real time outside of the clinic
Evidence-Based Neuropsychology (EBN) is subsets of
neuropsychology; its also developed with modern technology.
Neuropsychologists can help people with problems of learning,
memory, organization and emotional control resulting from
brain injuries or neurological disorders. EBN helps to
understand brain-behavior relationships and development
to help children and adolescents think, function and learn.
The research for ebn is still in developing, results for some
applications are still inconclusive.
References

Dixon, T. (2017, August 23). What is “an evolutionary explanation of behaviour?” IB

Psychology. https://www.themantic-education.com/ibpsych/2017/08/23/what-is-an-

evolutionary-explanation-of-behaviour/

Jarrard, L. E. (1993). On the role of the hippocampus in learning and memory in the rat.

Behavioral and Neural Biology, 60(1), 9–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/0163-

1047(93)90664-4

LeBlanc, & Ginger, M. (2016, November 22). Biological Psychology. Bakersfield College,

Department of Behavioral Science.

https://www.mrtredinnick.com/uploads/7/2/1/5/7215292/biological_psychology.pdf
References

Ontogenetic explanation. (n.d.). Www.psychology-Lexicon.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023,

from https://www.psychology-lexicon.com/cms/glossary/48-glossary-o/13487-

ontogenetic-explanation.html

Recent Advances of Evidence-Based Neuropsychology | Frontiers Research Topic. (n.d.).

Www.frontiersin.org. https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/11656/recent-advances-

of-evidence-based-neuropsychology

The Past and Future of Neuropsychology - APA Journals Podcasts | APA. (n.d.).

Https://Www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/pubs/highlights/podcasts/episode-27