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Principles that Define the Biological Level of Analysis

1. Behavior can be innate because it is genetically based. Evolution plays a key role in behavior. 2. Animal research may provide insight into human behavior. 3. There are biological correlates to behavior. There should be a link between a specific biological factor and specific behavior, and this is the aim of researchers working in the biological level of analysis.

Biological workers often apply a reductionist approach, which breaks down complex human behavior into its smallest parts.


 * BEHAVIOR IS GENETICALLY BASED**

Inherit behavior” can be demonstrated through research in numerous ways. One such study conducted by Ekman (1972) attested that facial expressions aren’t created by culture but are universal and thus had to be biological in origin. Another way in which inherit behavior may be demonstrated in research is through twin studies such as the Minnesota Twin Study (Bouchard et al 1999). In this study Bouchard showed that identical twins even when reared apart and fraternal twins had very high concordance rates of intelligence and hence this was most likely inherited.


 * ANIMAL RESEARCH MAY PROVIDE INSIGHT TO HUMAN BEHAVIOR**

Because experimenting on humans is often ethically and morally wrong, research on animals can be easier to carry out, and it has been confirmed that animal research can give an insight into human behavior. For example, oxytocin is a hormone present in both animals and humans have similar effects to each. For example Bales in 2003 found that prairie voles that received oxytocin had more affectionate behavioral traits and were also more likely to care for pups belonging to other females, and similarly in humans it deepens feeling of attachment. (Kosfeld 2005) The second principle, that “animal research can give us an insight into human behavior” can be recognized as there are often biological factors that humans and animals share.


 * BIOLOGICAL CORRELATES TO BEHAVIOR**

Biological correlates to behavior, cognition, and emotion have been established through mainly the use of case and correlational studies. For example in cognition, Baker et al (1999) examined 18 ordinary children and 26 children diagnosed as having ADHD and found that Phenylethylamine levels were much lower in the ADHD subjects. Later studies done by T. Matsuishi et al (1999) and A. Kusaga (2002) have also shown this and it is now believed that the neurotransmitter Phenylethylamine is a biological correlate to ADHD. The first principle, that “there are biological correlates to behavior” can be demonstrated by finding the link between a hormone/body part/neurotransmitter to a certain behavior in the human population.