Give one strength and one limitation of using animal studies in the Biological approach.

• A. Strength: high control over variables and internal validity; Limitation: limited generalisability to humans and ethical concerns
• B. Strength: large sample sizes; Limitation: cannot measure brain activity
• C. Strength: cannot generalise to humans; Limitation: they lack similar brain structures
• D. Strength: long lifespans; Limitation: impossible to control environment

Answer: (A)

Animal studies in the Biological approach are valued because they allow high control over variables. In a lab setting, researchers can keep genetics, environment, and timing constant and manipulate a single factor to see its direct effect, which boosts internal validity and helps establish clear cause-and-effect relationships between biological processes and behavior.

However, these studies face a clear limitation: findings don’t always translate to humans. Differences between species in brain structure, chemistry, and behavior mean results seen in animals may not map neatly onto human psychology. Ethical concerns about animal welfare also constrain what can be studied and how, which can limit the scope of the research.

Other options miss the mark because they either suggest traits that aren’t unique strengths of animal research (like routinely having large sample sizes) or assert impossible or inaccurate limitations (such as an inability to measure brain activity in animals, when techniques exist to study neural activity across species).