Briefly evaluate the biological approach in Psychology. (6 marks - AQA style)

One strength of the biological approach is that it has real-life application. For example, a modern understanding of biochemical processes within the brain has led to the development of psychoactive drugs which are used to treat severe mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. However, this approach is very nomothetic in nature as it attempts to create general laws and research shows that psychoactive drugs do not work for all, thus suggesting a more individualised idiographic approach may be more suitable. Despite this, this is a strength because sufferers are able to manage their condition and live a relatively normal life without the need for extensive hospital stays.However, a limitation of the biological approach is that it makes very causal conclusions. For example, it provides explanations for mental illnesses in terms of the action of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. The evidence for such explanations comes from studies exploring how drugs containing neurochemicals can reduce symptoms of a disorder, which has led to the assumption that it must be these chemicals which cause the disorder. This approach is therefore biologically reductionist and disregards the influence of other potential causes, a more holistic approach such as that of interactionism would be more suitable. This is a limitation as the approach is claiming to have discovered causes where only associations can be made, as a third factor may also be involved.