PSYC3102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Biopsychosocial Model, Neurotransmitter, Endocrine System
Document Summary
The scientist-practitioner approach: psychologists use research findings to guide assessment, diagnosis and treatment of people with mental health disorders, empirically supported assessment & treatment strategies. Models provide representations of the real world. Suggests that the causes of psych disorder through inherited or acquired brain disorders involving imbalances in neurotransmitters or damage to brain structures. Genetics as aetiology genetics as aetiology (study of gene-environment interactions), the pedigree method (familial diseases), twin method, adoption studies, molecular genetics. Studies of gene-environment interactions: the pedigree method. Helps answer whether it is nature or nurture: the classical twin design. Compares concordance rates for mono and dyzygotic twins. If mz = dz and both show high concordance; shared environmental contributions. If mz = dz, and both show low concordance; non-shared environment contributions: adoption studies. Compares the concordance of a disorder in adopted children: to their biological relatives, to their adoptive relatives, molecular genetics.
