Lesson 4.1.4.5

4.1.4.5 Biological approach to OCD Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.1.4.5, Biological approach to OCD: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Psychology (7182), Unit 1: Introductory topics in Psychology, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which type of study provides evidence that OCD has a genetic component?

    • Twin studies, which compare concordance rates for identical and non-identical twins
    • Strange Situation studies, which compare attachment types in infants
    • Peterson and Peterson studies, which compare short-term duration
    • Cognitive interview studies, which compare memory accuracy

  2. What does a higher concordance rate in identical twins than in non-identical twins suggest about OCD?

    • A genetic influence, because identical twins share all their genes
    • That OCD is caused entirely by upbringing
    • An environmental influence only, because identical twins share the same environment
    • That OCD cannot be inherited

  3. Which brain region is often linked to OCD in neural explanations?

    • The phonological loop, which holds speech-based information and keeps it active through silent articulatory rehearsal
    • The sensory register, which holds a large amount of visual information for a fraction of a second after it is seen
    • The orbitofrontal cortex, with abnormal activity in the cortico-striatal circuit
    • The hippocampus, which only controls hunger and thirst, and is not involved in attention or memory in any way

  4. Which neurotransmitter is central to the serotonin explanation of OCD?

    • Serotonin
    • Oestrogen
    • Dopamine only
    • Adrenaline

  5. What is the main way that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are thought to reduce OCD symptoms?

    • They block all neurotransmitters from reaching the brain, which stops the chemical signals that cause the symptoms
    • They increase the production of adrenaline in the body, which speeds up the heart and reduces the feeling of anxiety
    • They increase the availability of serotonin in the synapse by blocking its reuptake
    • They destroy the orbitofrontal cortex, which removes the obsessions and the rituals that the person carries out daily

  6. Which drug therapy for OCD is an example of an SSRI?

    • Caffeine
    • Oxytocin
    • Adrenaline
    • Fluoxetine

  7. Which evaluation point applies to drug therapy for OCD?

    • Drugs have no effect on the brain's chemistry, so any improvement must come from changes in the person's thinking alone
    • Drugs always cure OCD permanently with no side effects, and symptoms never return once a course of treatment is complete
    • Drugs may reduce symptoms, but they can cause side effects and symptoms may return if treatment stops
    • Drugs are only effective for people who have never had OCD, since they cannot reduce symptoms in anyone with a history

  8. Which evaluation point applies to the biological explanation of OCD?

    • Biological evidence is correlational, so it cannot show whether brain differences cause OCD or result from it
    • Biological evidence has ruled out any role for the brain in OCD, since all brain scans of people with OCD look normal
    • Biological evidence shows that all people have the same brain pattern in OCD, so differences cannot explain symptoms
    • Biological evidence shows that OCD is caused by experiences alone, with no role for brain structure or chemistry at all

  9. Which evaluation point applies to a reductionist biological explanation of OCD?

    • It shows that OCD has no biological basis at all
    • It is identical to the cognitive explanation of OCD
    • It explains all aspects of OCD without any need for other explanations
    • It may ignore psychological and social factors that also contribute to OCD

  10. A person has a close relative with OCD and shows similar symptoms. Which explanation would be most consistent with this finding?

    • A genetic predisposition that may be shared within families
    • A learned behaviour that is unrelated to family background
    • A conditioned response to a neutral stimulus
    • A social norm that is unique to the person

  11. A researcher finds that people with OCD have higher activity in the orbitofrontal cortex than people without OCD. Which conclusion is best supported?

    • There is an association between OCD and orbitofrontal activity, but cause and effect cannot be confirmed
    • Orbitofrontal activity is caused by OCD in all cases with no exceptions, and the brain changes are always the same
    • OCD has no link with the orbitofrontal cortex, since scans of people with OCD show no change in that region at all
    • OCD is caused by orbitofrontal activity, which has been proven by experiments that directly switch the activity on and off

  12. Which combination correctly links a biological explanation of OCD with its treatment?

    • Genetic explanation with cognitive restructuring, which challenges the irrational beliefs that a person holds
    • Serotonin explanation with systematic desensitisation, which is a behavioural treatment that uses relaxation
    • Neural explanation with flooding, which exposes the person to the most feared stimulus with no escape allowed
    • Serotonin explanation with SSRIs, which increase serotonin availability

  13. Why is drug therapy for OCD often combined with psychological treatment?

    • Drugs are only used to treat the physical symptoms of OCD, such as tiredness and sweating, and never the thoughts or rituals
    • Psychological treatment cannot be used with drugs, because medication blocks the person's ability to take part in therapy sessions
    • Drugs may reduce symptoms, while psychological treatment can help the person change the behaviours and thoughts that maintain OCD
    • Drugs make psychological treatment unnecessary in all cases, since medication alone always removes both the thoughts and the rituals

  14. Which of these is a neural feature associated with OCD?

    • Increased activity of the phonological loop only, which is involved in holding and rehearsing speech-based information
    • Lower levels of cortisol in all brain regions, which reduces the stress response and makes the person feel calm
    • Altered activity in the basal ganglia and the cortical circuits that connect to them
    • A fixed reduction in the size of the sensory register, which holds visual information only for a fraction of a second

  15. A psychologist claims that the serotonin hypothesis is supported by the effects of SSRIs. Which evidence would best support this claim?

    • A reduction in OCD symptoms only when no drug is given
    • No change in OCD symptoms with any drug
    • Increased OCD symptoms when SSRIs increase serotonin availability
    • Reduced OCD symptoms when SSRIs increase serotonin availability

  16. Which statement about the genetic explanation of OCD is most accurate?

    • Genes make OCD certain in anyone who carries them, so every person with the gene will develop the disorder in childhood
    • Genes only affect the physical appearance of a person, and have no link to thoughts, feelings or behaviour of any kind
    • Genes may increase vulnerability to OCD, but they do not make it certain
    • Genes have no role in OCD at all, since family resemblance is entirely the result of shared upbringing and learning

  17. A study uses a sample of OCD patients and matched controls and compares their brain scans. Which feature of the study would limit conclusions about cause?

    • The brain scan is a direct test of genes, which shows exactly which genetic variant is linked to the disorder
    • The design is correlational, so it cannot show which factor causes the difference
    • The study uses a random sample of the general population, so the groups cannot be compared with each other fairly
    • The sample size is too large to be useful, so the results are too precise to be trusted as evidence of any cause

  18. A person with OCD takes an SSRI and reports fewer intrusive thoughts after several weeks. Which explanation best fits this result?

    • The drug may have increased serotonin availability, reducing the symptoms
    • The person's genes have changed permanently
    • The person has transferred their obsession to another object
    • The person has learned to avoid all intrusive thoughts through punishment

  19. Which evidence would best show that OCD has a neural basis rather than being purely learned?

    • An increase in OCD after a change in religion, which shows that beliefs alone cause the disorder to develop
    • An increase in OCD after reading a self-help book, which suggests that the disorder spreads through reading
    • A reduction in OCD after a learning-based treatment alone, which shows that the disorder is entirely learned
    • Abnormal brain activity in people with OCD compared with those without the disorder

  20. A patient with OCD has a parent who also had OCD and a brain scan showing abnormal activity. Which explanation would biological researchers emphasise most?

    • Only cognitive distortion about the self, which leads the person to believe that they are always in danger
    • Genetic predisposition combined with abnormal neural activity
    • Only imitation of the parent's behaviour, which the child copies from a family member and then repeats daily
    • Only conditioned fear of objects, which the person learned through repeated pairings with an unpleasant event

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