Explain how one principle that defines the biological level of analysis may be demonstrated in research

 The biological level of analysis concerns with the physiological basis of cognition and behaviour. One of the defining principles includes that non-human animal research can aid our understanding of human behaviour.This means that the results of research conducted on animals other than humans can be generalised and applied to humans, which is especially the case in research conducted on animals that are closer to humans on the evolutionary branch, in terms of biological makeup and genetics. For example, the brain activity of a monkey could give significant insight into brain activity and behaviour, and especially since they are closer to humans based on the evolutionary tree. How this principle of the BLOA may be demonstrated in research will be explained, with reference to Perdersen and Boccia (2003). Pedersen and Boccia aimed to investigate the role of the hormone oxytocin in mothering behaviour in rats. The researchers divided rat mothers and their offspring into three groups: one group of rat mothers received an infusion of oxytocin; one group received an infusion of an oxytocin-antagonist, that reduced oxytocin in the brain; and the control group received a saline infusion. The group of rat mothers that had an increase in oxytocin spent more time grooming and feeding their babies, engaging in motherly activity. The group of rats with decreased levels of oxytocin spend more time grooming themselves and barely fed their children. Results found that increased levels of oxytocin heightened mothering behaviour and was identified as important in human mother-infant bonding (which is why it is released during labour and breastfeeding). The conclusion was especially applicable to humans since the hereditary information found in the mouse DNA is similar to the human genome.