Title: The Role of the Biological Perspective in Psychology
Headings: The Role of the Biological Perspective in Psychology
The Role of the Biological Perspective in Psychology
The Biological Perspective
Main Topic Areas
Strengths and Weaknesses
A Word From Verywell

Content: The biological perspective is essentially a way of looking at human problems and actions. The study of physiology and biological processes has played a significant role in psychology since its earliest beginnings. Charles Darwin first introduced the idea that evolution and genetics play a role in human behavior. Natural selection influences whether certain behavior patterns are passed down to future generations. Behaviors that aid in survival are more likely to be passed down while those that prove dangerous are less likely to be inherited. Consider an issue like aggression. The psychoanalytic perspective might view aggression as the result of childhood experiences and unconscious urges. The behavioral perspective considers how the behavior was shaped by association, reinforcement, and punishment. A psychologist with a social perspective might look at the group dynamics and pressures that contribute to such behavior. The biological viewpoint, on the other hand, would involve looking at the biological roots that lie behind aggressive behaviors.