bio week 1 - intro

Question 1

what is biopsychology

Answer 1

Study of the brain (NS) and and how it causes or relates to behaviour
Seeks explanations in terms of biology

Question 2

what was Galen (130 - 200 AD) theory of the brain?

Answer 2

• fluid filled ventricles in the brain
• first attempt to localise brain function
• Nemesuis suggested different functions for different brain regions
• Lateral ventricles 1 + 2: sensory and mental impressions
• Ventricle 3: reasoning
• Ventricle 4: memory

Question 3

Andreas Vesalius 1514 – 1564

Answer 3

early drawings of the brain - outer layer of brain called the cerebral cortex with it’s two hemispheres (right and left) and the corpus callosum.

Question 4

Rene Descartes 1596 – 1650

Answer 4

French philosopher

Mind - unitary, like non-material spirit

Body – like a hydraulic machine made of physical matter

Mind and body are separate entities but they interact in the pineal gland to create our psychological experiences and behaviour- DUALISM

Question 5

what is monism and interactionism?

Answer 5

Monism - mind and body = one and the same
- Thoughts, feelings and behaviours can be explained by a physical or neutral basis in the brain
- importance of the social environment in which we live - INTERACTIONISM.

Question 6

what are the divisions of biopsychology?

Answer 6

Physiological Psychology

Psychopharmacology

Neuropsychology

Psychophysiology

Cognitive Neuroscience

Comparative Psychology

Question 7

what is physiological psychology?

Answer 7

Interested in what areas of the brain are involved in different behaviours
- invasive - use animal subjects

Question 8

what is the methodology of physiological psychology?

Answer 8

Causal
- lesions - destroy parts of brain: through electrodes (electric current destroys) or cannulae (chemical destroys)
- stimulation (electrically or chemically)

Question 9

what is psychopharmacology?

Answer 9

Investigates effects of drugs on behaviour.

Question 10

what is the methodology of psychopharmacology?

Answer 10

utilises animals
therapeutic value can only be established by examining effect of drugs in humans

Question 11

what is neuropsychology?

Answer 11

Study of the behavioural effects of brain damage in humans.
Locate the neural mechanisms underlying behaviour.

Question 12

what is the methodology of neuropsychology?

Answer 12

Damage caused by disease, accident or neurosurgery
Limitation of the research is that unlike physiological psychology the damage to the brain cannot be controlled.

Question 13

what is psychophysiology?

Answer 13

Interested in the analysis of physiological responses of subjects during various activities.

Non-invasive

Majority of research utilises human subjects

Question 14

what is the methodology for psychophysiology?

Answer 14

correlational -
uses things such as ECG to measure heart rate and EEG to measure brain waves etc

Question 15

what are the strategy and experimental techniques for psychophysiology?

Answer 15

p’s fitted with electrodes which detect signal which is then amplified and displayed on a polygraph

Question 16

What is cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 16

the study of neural mechanisms of human cognition

Question 17

what is the methodology of cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 17

mostly uses human subjects, often using functional brain imaging techniques; PET, fMRI

Question 18

What is comparative psychology?

Answer 18

Study of the behaviour of different animal species
To further understanding of the evolution, genetics and adaptiveness of behaviour.

Question 19

What is the methodology of comparative psychology?

Answer 19

Research can be conducted in semi-natural settings in laboratory

Or, in the natural environment (ethological research)

Selective breeding can be used to determine how genes can influence behaviour of species