Bio psych Flashcards
Name the different parts of a nerve?
Dendrites, Nucelus, myelin sheath, nodes of ranvier and axon
What is synaptic transmission?
the process in which a neurone communicates a nerve impulse with another neurone
What is action potential?
A nerve impulse travels along the axon of the neurone towards the synaptic terminals on the presynaptic neurone
What does action potential do?
releases neurotransmitters from the vesicles to cross over the synapse and bind to the receptors on the post synaptic neurone
What happens with neurotransmitters binding to the receptors?
Once enough receptors are stimulated it will depolarise the post synaptic neurone, this increases it charge to pass on the nerve impulse. If enough receptors are not stimulated this will hyper polarise the post synaptic neurone.
What happens to any neurotransmitters that are not bound to the receptors?
taken up the reuptake pump on the presynaptic neurone to be stored in vesicles or destroyed by enzymes
How do drugs affect the nervous system?
Drugs can mimic neurotransmitters so they fit receptor sites, they can also block the re-uptake pumps which causes a build up of neurotransmitters in the synapse.
What drug blocks the re-uptake pump?
Prozac
what drug mimics neurotransmitters?
Chlorpromazine
How do people become addicted to recreational drugs?
The brain has a reward pathway, most drugs hack into the dopamine system and increase the level of dopamine causing euphoria. When the drug wears off the person has less dopamine for their brain to function causing dysphoria
When does addiction happen?
when a drug is n o longer active in the nervous system, this can result in withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal happens when the brain adapts to the changes imposed by the drug so the brain can’t function normal without it
Explain fMRI scans?
Ppants lie down in a scanner, a strong magnetic field is used, the scanners electromagnet cause proton to point in the same direction. Part of the brain with more hydrogen atoms appear paler.
What are the positives of using fMRI scans?
. Produces high quality images of the brain
. Compare structures of brains
. Scientific
. Non-invasive
Explain how fMRI produce high quality images of the brain?
These images are very precise and are sufficient enough to locate and remove delicate tumours. Therefore allowing safer and easier brain surgery to be performed
Explain how fMRI can compare structures of the brain?
Yurgelon- Todd et al used fMRI to obtain data that there is less activity in the frontal lobes of people with schizophrenia than in normal people. Therefore fMRI can aid our understanding, diagnosis and treatment of abnormal behaviour
Explain how fMRI is scientific?
Uses highly scientific equipment to produce images to be interpreted by specialists, these images are checked by other specialists so they are not analysed in a bias way. Therefore can be objectively analysed to see the impact the brain and any brain damage has on behaviour
Explain how fMRI is non-invasive?
fMRI scans do not require any foreign substances being placed in the participants unlike PET scans which use a radioactive tracer. Therefore a fMRI scan is less harmful than a PET scan.
What are negatives of fMRI scans?
- Expensive
- Ecological validity
Explain how fMRI is expensive?
Requires specialist staff to use the machinery and interpret scans produced. Therefore this can limit the use by researchers as they may not have the necessary resources
Explain how fMRI lacks ecological validity?
Conducted in a highly artificial setting on a lab. So the brain activity produced may not be reflective everyday brain activity. Therefore the brain activity cannot be generalised.
Explain how a PET scan works?
A tracer is injected into the blood which bonds to glucose. The pants will be asked to complete a task and areas of the brain which are most active will absorb glucose
What are positives of PET scans?
- Provides data on both structure and function of the brain
- Practical application, Raine et al
- Scientific
Explain how PET scans provides data on structure and function of the brain?
Can see what area of the brain is most active and are responsible for particular types of behaviours. Therefore have extensive knowledge of the brain and makes surgery safer
Explain practical application of Raine to PET scans?
Raine used PET scans to determine brain activity in murderers. He found differences in rain structures to the control group. This can help by putting in early interventions to prevent people developing int murderers.
Explain how PET scans are scientific?
Highly scientific equipment can be used and easily repeated, these images can be checked by other specialists. Therefore can be objectively analysed to see the impact of the brain and brain damage on behaviour
What are negatives of PET scans?
- Ecological validity
- Invasive
Explain how PET scans lack ecological validity?
Conducted in a highly artificial setting of a lab. Therefore the brain activity shown is not representative of everyday brain activity
Explain how PET scans are invasive?
Ppants are injected with a radioactive tracer, some ppants may be uncomfortable with this. Therefore it is unethical.
Explain how CAT scans work?
X-rays are passed through the head and multiple images are taken of the brain. This information is interpreted by a computer and a detailed image of the structure of the brain is produced
What are the positives of CAT scans?
- Detailed images of the structure in the brain
- Non-invasive
Explain how CAT scans produce detailed images of the structure of the brain?
Images are very precise and allow a clear image of the brain structure. Therefore it allows high quality image being produced allowing surgery to be safer.
Explain how CAT scans are non-invasive?
Participants are asked to go in a x-ray and multiple beams are passed and doesn’t involve any foreign substances . Therefore a CAT scan is less harmful than a PET scan
What is a negative of CAT scans?
Exposure to radiation
Explain how CAT scans expose to radiation?
The use of X-ray pose risks to patients as they involve exposure to radiation. Therefore this is not suitable for everyone and the exposure may cause physical harm
What is the aim of Raine’s study?
To investigate wether there are brain differences between violent murderers who pleaded not guilty by reasons of insanity compared to a matched control group of non-murderers
Raines ppants?
41 participants, 39 males 2 females.
What is the procedure of Raines study?
The participants were injected with a radioactive glucose tracer then did a 32 minute continuous performance task.
What were Raines findings?
- less activity in pre-frontal cortex
- greater activity in right side of thalamus
- less activity left side of amygdala
- greater activity right side amygdala
- no difference temporal areas
What is the conclusion of Raine’s study
there may be a link between abnormal brain activity and a predisposition towards violence in this specific group
What does the frontal lobe do?
Responsible for decision making
What does the temporal lobe do?
responsible for processing sensory input
What does parietal lobe do?
responsible for processing sensory information
what does the occipital lobe do?
responsible for visual processing
What does the midbrain do?
links the amygdala and hypothalamus with the pre-frontal cortex.
What does the limbic system do?
includes the hippocampus, amygdala and the hypothalamus. Regulates eating day-night cycle and relates to emotional responses to stimuli in the environment
What does the hypothalamus do?
maintains homeostasis through the regulation of hormones
What does the amygdala do?
centre for emotions, emotional behaviour and motivation. Also taken to have a role of arousal, aggression and fight or flight response.
What does the pre-frontal cortex do?
influential for social interaction, regulate behaviour and emotions. Let hemisphere positive emotions, right hemisphere negative emotions.
What is the supporting evidence of the evaluation of the brain?
Supported by Phineas Gage, supported by Raine et al
Explain the supporting evidence by Phineas Gage?
Phineas Gage was in an accident that damaged his pre-frontal cortex, this supports the idea that the pre-frontal cortex when has low activity has high levels of aggression. therefore supporting the explanation of the pre-frontal cortex
What is the supporting evidence by Raine?
Raine found that in the murderers less activity compared to the control group in the pre-frontal cortex causes a larger amount of aggression
What 3 ways can evolution explain aggression?
- Genetics
- Survival of the fittest
-Epigenetics
What are the positives of evolution as an explanation of human behaviour?
-Differences in male and female brains
- Chester et al
- Mazur
Explain the differences in male and female brains?
Males and females have different structures of their brains due to high levels of testosterone before and after birth. therefore brain differences support the idea of aggression providing an adaptive advantage
Explain Chester et al supporting evidence?
Conducted research that found that males have a low functioning MAOA gene had greater periods of aggression compared to those with normal functioning MAOA gene.
Explain Mazur supporting evidence?
Found a difference in inter-male fighting in rats around puberty when there is an increase in aggression. therefore supporting the idea that aggression is linked to ensuring survival of genes.
What is a negative of evolution as explanation of human behaviour?
Reductionist theory - Only considers the role of nature, aggression aids to passing on our genes. It does not consider the role of nurture- such as imitating aggression from patients
What are hormones?
chemical messengers that transmit information around the body, they are carried in the blood and slower at passing messages
Where are hormones produced?
produced and excreted by glands and system of glands called the endocrine system
Give an example of animal based research that relates to hormones?
Young et al - pregnant monkeys injected with androgens have given birth to females with masculinised genitalia and who act in masculine ways
What human research is related to hormones?
Hawke - Found that convicted sex offenders that have been castrated and this lead to the removal of aggression and loss of sex drive. therefore suggesting testosterone is linked to aggression
What are the negatives of hormones as an explanation for aggression?
- Animal research
- Reductionist
Explain animal research as a negative for explaining aggression through hormones?
Using animals is anthropomorphic as the DNA of animals is different to human DNA. Therefore the findings are unrepresentative and we cannot generalise to human aggression
Explain how hormones explaining aggression is reductionist?
Only takes into account the role of nature and doesn’t take into account nurture. Therefore needs to take an hollistic view and take into account both roles
What did Freud say to explain aggression?
behaviour as a consequence of a persons personality
Name the three parts of the mind as explained by Freud?
Conscious mind, preconscious mind, unconscious mind
What happens in the conscious mind?
Consists of all mental processes, thoughts and ideas
What happens in the preconscious mind?
Contains all the memories
What happens in the unconscious mind?
contains material that is to threatening to be permitted access to the conscious
What are the three major systems as explained by Freud?
ID, Ego, Superego
Explain what happens in the ID?
- pleasure principle, seeks immediate gratification
- Eros: sexual instinct
- Thantos: death instinct
- Catharsis: the emotional release of destruction - socially acceptable: sublimation
Explain what happens in the Ego?
- Is conscious
- Reality principle
- Helps satisfy the ID and the superego
Explain what happens in the superego?
- Mainly unconscious
- Morality principle
- Develops understanding of right and wrong
What are the positives of Freud’s psychodynamic approach?
- Supported by Anna O
- Supported by Vernon and Sullivan
Explain the supporting evidence by Anna O?
Suffered from hysteria. Had a fear of drinking when a dog she hated drank from her glass, symptoms originated when she was caring for her sick father. Detailed and valid to support the theory of the consciousness leading to aggressive behaviour
Explain supporting evidence from Vernon and Sullivan?
Found that people who reacted in an aggressive way to being made frustrated in a task had reduced heart rate compared to those that didn’t act aggressively. Therefore suggesting aggression is cathartic
What are negatives of Freud’s explanation of aggression?
- Unscientific
- Subjective
Explain how Freud’s explanation is unscientific?
Freud explanation of ID driving aggression cannot be empirically tested. They are all hypothetical constructs as you cannot prove the existence of them. Therefore cannot be tested, reduces validity.
