Biological Psychology Flashcards
What are the 4 main parts of the brain and what does each part do?
Frontal lobe- decision making
Parietal lobe- language and movement
Occipital lobe- Sensory information
Temporal lobe- memory and emotions
Explain how a neurone works and name each part of the neurone in the answer.
An electrical impulse is detected at the dendrites and moves towards the axon hillock which then passes the impulse through many schwann cells which are surrounded by myelin sheath. Between each schwann cell there are knodes of ranvier. The electrical impulse then reaches the end of the neurone at the axon terminals
Outline the process of synaptic transmission
An electrical impulse travels down the axon terminal on the presynaptic neurone along with neurotransmitters which get packaged into vesicles. The vesicles bind to the membrane and the neurotransmitters move over the Synapses to the post synaptic neurone on the dendrites
What is tolerance?
Frequent stimulation of receptors which cause permenanr damage causing sensitivity
How does cocaine effect synaptic transmission?
Cocaine causes high amounts of dopamine in the reward systems of the brain leading to euphoria. The body tries to balance dopamine levels by producing less. Low dopamine levels cause aggression and motivates further drug use
What are the reward pathways of the brain?
Nucleus accumbens
VTA
How does heroin effect synaptic transmission?
Heroin breaks down into morphine in the synapses. Morphine attaches to the opioid receptors on the post synaptic neurone which has an analgesic effect. Repeated use causes damage to receptors and more usage is now tolerated.
How does cocaine and heroin block Synapses?
Cocaine blocks re uptake channels
Heroin blocks receptors
Outline Weinshenker and Schroeders experiment
Found changing dopamine levels in reward pathways prevented cocaine use by causing lesions in rats brains
Outline Volkows experiment
He compared brain scans of drug users and non drug users and found brain activity was less in drug users. Drug users also had more metabolites
Name some differences between hormones and neurotransmitters
Hormones are part of the endocrine system and are secreted in the blood.
Neurotransmitters are part of the CNS and travel within synapses
How does testosterone cause aggression?
High levels cause a reduced sensitivity to the fear of punishment and causes an individual to fight in the fight or flight response
How does cortisol cause aggression?
Cortisol is a hormone produced to deal with stress. It enhances the fight or flight response by stimulating the hypothalamus
Outline Dabbs et al experiment
He measured testosterone levels in male prisoners who committed a violent crime vs who’s crime was not violent. He found testosterone was higher in violent males by 10/11. Shows a positive correlation
Give the evaluation points for the Hormonal explanation of aggression
F+ Dabbs
U+ testosterone therapy
D- many others
E- not all violent criminals have higher testosterone
What is the prefrontal cortex responsible for?
Self control and decision making
What is the amygdala responsible for?
Identifying threatening stimuli in the environment
Outline what happened to Phineas Gage
A metal rod explosed through his prefrontal cortex and made him angry. Brain mapping showed the prefrontal cortex suffered most damage
Give the evaluation points for the brain functioning explanation of aggression
F+ Phineas Gage
U+ defence Chales Whitman, lack of control
D- many others
E- brain scans and Raines study
What was the aim of Raines classic study?
Investigate if brain functioning was the same in violent offenders compared to non violent offenders
What was the sample in Raines classic study?
41 murderers and 41 non murderers
Including 2 females and 6 woth schizophrenia, matched pair design
Outline the method of Raines classic study?
He performed a PET scan on each participant by injecting them with radioactive tracers and the participants had to identify dots on a screen for 32 mins
Describe the results of Raines classic study
Low glucose levels in the prefrontal cortex suggesting low self control.
High glucose level in the amygdala suggesting more threatening stimuli
Give the evaluation points for Raines classic study
G- small sample, not representative
R+ standardised procedure
A+ identify individuals at risk of being aggressive
V- artificial environment lacks ecological
E- socially sensitive and may cause harm by being off medications
What is the epigenetic effect?
When environmental factors interact with genes
What is the inherited gene that causes aggression?
MAOA
What is the evolutionary explanation of aggression?
Sexual selection causes infidelity and jealousy by preventing reproduction. This causes direct guarding and negative inducement
Explain Buss study to support the evolutionary kink to aggression
He found 60% more men showed negative emotion to sexual infidelity as it prevents reproduction
83% more women were distressed by emotional infidelity as they couldn’t practise maternal instincts
What was the aim of Brendegens contemporary study?
To see the contribution genes and environment has on aggression
What was the sample of Brendegen contemporary study?
234 pairs of twins both mono and di zygotic twins
Outline the method of Brendegens contemporary study
Teachers rated aggression based on examples they were given.
Fellow children also had to rate aggression based on examples and pointing out the child’s photo
What did the results show of Brendegens contemporary study?
Physical aggression was caused by genes 63%.
Social aggression was caused by the environment 60%
What did the results show of Brendegens contemporary study?
Physical aggression was caused by genes 63%.
Social aggression was caused by the environment 60%
Give the evaluation points of Brendegens contemporary study
G+ large sample
R+ inter rater reliability
A+ can reduce social aggression in society
V- may cause bias, based on opinions so lacks internal validity as extraneous variables may effect results
E- creates fixed views on peers
What was the aim of Leves adoption study?
To investigate if children have specific triggers to cause aggressive behaviour
What was the sample in Leves adoption study?
360 adopted triads from 33 different agencies and 10 states
Outline the method of the Leves adoption study
Each biological mother had an interview to get pregnancy history and get their literature level.
Each child had to undergo tasks to make them angry which was recorded and observed
What did the results of Leves adoption study show?
When the adoptive mother showed depression or anxiety the child saw this as a trigger to become aggressive during to the biological mother showing externslising behaviour
Give the evaluation of Leves adoption study
G+ Large sample
R+ standardised procedure
- lacks test retest reliability
A+ used to reduce amount of triggers for children to become aggressive
V + accurate conclusions via triangulation
E- socially sensitive to adoptive mothers
What does Freud suggest about aggression?
We all develop uniquely as the unconscious mind is most powerful
What are the 3 levels of mind?
Conscious
Preconscious
Unconscious
What is the super ego responsible for?
Moral principles and control
What is the ego responsible for?
Reality principles ti counteract the ID
What is the ID responsible for?
Pleasure
What will someone with an overactive ID be like?
Begins drug use
What will someone with an overactive super ego be like?
Judgemental
What will someone with an overactive ego be like?
Resistant to change
What is the lif and death instinct?
Need to live promoting survival and the want to die to escape such as addiction
How does the psychodynamic theory explain aggression?
ID demands pleasure and the ego tries to balance it. Frustration causes conflict and aggressive behaviour which is exerted through a cathartic act. After this relief occurs
Outline Verona and Sullivans experiment to support psychodynamic theory
Individuals asked to shock learners when given an incorrect answer. At random puffs of air was blown in their face causing frustration. The acjock was given as a cathartic act.
Explain a fMRI scan
Dye injected to measure blood and oxygen flow and the brain
Explain a PET scan
Radioactive dye is injected which lights up active areas of the brain
What is the localisation of function?
Identify what area of the brain causes a specific function
What is the localisation of function?
Identify what area of the brain causes a specific function
Outline a CT scan
Produces a 3d image of brain and can scan sections of brain
