BIO PSYCH - PACK 1 Flashcards
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What does biological psychology aim to explain?
Behaviour, by looking at the physical causes. Using biology to understand human behaviour.
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Key assumptions of Bio Psych
- All behaviours are determined by biological factors
- The CNS is a major influence on behaviour
- Behavioural and psychological development is assumed to be by changes in the brain and general biology
- Process of evolution can help us explain human behaviour; traits that helped us survive passed on
- Genes influence behaviour
- Behavioural continuity between species, justifying studying animals and generalising to humans
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Main research methods used in Bio Psych
- Correlational studies
- Studies using brain scanning techniques; CAT, PET, fMRI
- Case studies using brain damaged patients
- Lab based experiments using animals
The CNS is made up of… (explain their roles)
Central Nervous System
The brain which draws together info from all over the body and sends info back in response
The spinal cord, containing nerves that carry messages between the brain and body
Role of CNS
Central processor of info and control centre for human behaviour
What is the PNS?
Peripheral nervous system which branches out from spinal cord. Web of nerves carrying info to and from CNS to rest of body
State the 4 lobes of the brain
- Frontal
- Parietal
- Temporal
- Occipital
Major frontal lobe functions
Voluntary movement, expressive language, managing higher executive functions, thinking, personality, muscle control, memory storage
Major parietal lobe functions
Process of sensory acquisition, spatial orientation + direction
Major occipital lobe functions
Visuospatial processing, distance perception, colour + face recognition, memory formation
Major temporal lobe functions
Encoding memory, processing emotions, visual perception
What lobe is the PFC part of? Explain PFC further
Prefrontal Cortex
The frontal lobe. Fully functioning only in twenties. Executive functions such as decision making.
Case study of Phineas Gage
Railway worker suffered damage to prefrontal lobes. Personality changed extremely, became very aggressive. Suggests that prefrontal lobes involved in aggression.
What are the right and left hemispheres of the brain concerned with?
Right = creativity, intuition, movement of left side of body.
Left = movement of right side of body, language functioning, analytic thought, science + math
What is the corpus callosum and it’s main function?
Massive bundle of nuerons which joins the two brain hemispheres together. Ensures the two hemispheres can communicate with one another.
What are the ventricles
A linked system of cavities that are filled with their produced cerebrospinal fluid, ensuring it circulates around the brain
The Limbic System
System of structures and nerve networks inside brain. Linked to instinct and mood. Controls basic emotions (anger,fear,pleasure) and drives (hunger, dominance, sex).
Structures of the Limbic System
- Frontal lobe
- Thalamus
- Hippocampus
- Amygdala
- Hypothalmus
- Olfactory bulb
Function of thalamus
Relays info from five senses to relevant parts of cortex.
Function of amygdala
Linked with emotions such as anger and fear. This region stimulated when if senses perceive threat. Fight/flight response.
Function of hippocampus
Plays key role in memory formation.
Function of hypothalmus
Regulates bodily functions via stimulating release of hormones. Fight/flight response. Releases adrenaline.
What is meant by ‘contra-lateral control’?
The right hemisphere concerning the movement of the left side of the body and the lefthemisphere with the right side.
Explain the issue of reductionism in biological psychology.
To study biological functions in isolation would be oversimplification. Overlooks social and environmental factors.
What are neurons and their functions?
Specialised brain cells within the nervous system with a function to communicate with thousands of others cells at a time in pathways which adapt as we have new experiences.
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Structure of a neuron
Nucleus, cell body, axon hillcock, dendrites, axon, Nodes of Ranvier, myelin sheath, axon terminals, synapse
Function of the axon
In a nueron
Electrical impulses pass through them
Function of dendrites
In a nueron
Receive info from other neurons
Function of the cell body
In a nueron
Location of key components
Function of the nucleus
In a nueron
Stores DNA
Function of the Axon Hillcock
In a nueron
Generates electrical impulse down the axon
Function of the myelin sheath
In a nucleus
Coats the axon and speeds up the action potential
Function of the Nodes of Ranvier
In a nueron
Speeds up the action potential
Function of a synapse
in a nueron
Nuerotransmitters are released and passed to the next neuron
What is a synapse?
Explain the elements
Where the communication between one nueron and another takes place. Action potential starts in the pre-synaptic nueron. The message travels to the post-synaptic neuron. The space between the two is known as the synaptic cleft/gap. Neurotransmitters are released into this gap and travel across it.
What is an action potential?
An electrical impulse
Function of neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers that take info around brain
The Process of Synaptic Transmission
Step 1: An action potential moves down the pre-synaptic neuron and causes the vesicles filled with neurotransmitter to move close to the terminal membrane.
Step 2: The vesicles fuse with the terminal membrane (exocytosis), causing the neurotransmitter to be released into the synaptic cleft.
Step 3: The neurotransmitter binds with protein receptors in the post-synaptic neuron and the pre-synaptic neuron receptors. Activation of receptors on the post-synaptic neuron causes an increase in probability of producing an action potential. Activation of the auto-receptors on the pre-synaptic neuron causes it to stop releasing neurotransmitters.
Step 4: Once the neurotransmitter is released into the synaptic cleft, it is removed by 1 of 3 processes:
1. Re-uptake - taken back into pre-synaptic neuron via re-uptake transporter
2. Broken down by enzymes in synaptic cleft
3. Diffusion - dispersed away from synaptic cleft
Evaluate the use of synaptic transmission as an explanation of how messages move around the brain
PET scans provide objective, reliable evidence of brain functioning, increasing the scientific credibility HOWEVER don’t give microscopic detail.
generalisation from rat and cat brains to human brains may not be valid as there are differences eg. cognitive ability. Eg. Van den Oever et al’s 2008 study ; Much evidence comes from studying animals.
Individual differences
When are they used?
Recreational drugs
Used in the absence of medical grounds for personal enjoyment
