biopsychology (1.1)

Question 1

neurons

Answer 1

cells that receive and transmit electrochemical signals

Question 2

neuroscience

Answer 2

the scientific study of the nervous system

Question 3

biopsychology

Answer 3

the scientific study of the biology of behavior

Question 4

D.O. Hebb

Answer 4

wrote the Organization of Behavior; developed first comprehensive theory of how complex psychological phenomena might be produced by brain activity

Question 5

Biopsychology holds that all behavior is the product of interactions among (3)

Answer 5

the organisms genetic endowment (product of evolution via natural selection), its experience, and its perception of the current situation

Question 6

Jimmie G

Answer 6

frozen in time; could not remember anything after age 19; tested by Oliver Sacks; long-term alcohol consumption

Question 7

biopsychologists

Answer 7

neuroscientists who bring to their research a knowledge of behavior and of the methods of behavioral research; unique because of behavioral expertise

Question 8

areas of neuroscience (neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, neuroendocrinology, neuropathology, neuropharmacology)

Answer 8

neuroanatomy: structure of NS
neurophysiology: functions and activities of NS
neurochemistry: chemical bases of neural activity
neuroendocrinology: hormones (NS —> endocrine system)
neuropathology: NS disorders
neuropharmacology: effects of drugs on neural activity

Question 9

major dimensions along which approaches vary (2)

Answer 9

subjects (human vs nonhuman) and design (experiments vs nonexperiments)

Question 10

pros and cons of humans vs nonhumans

Answer 10

humans: pros (human brains, follow instructions report experiences, cheap) and cons (random, macro-level)
nonhumans: pros (controlled, micro-level, simpler brains, comparative approach (comparing species), ethical reasons) and cons (nonhuman brains, expensive)

Question 11

experiments (between- and within-subject design; independent, dependent, and confounding variables) vs nonexperiments (quasi-experimental, case studies)

Answer 11

experiments: between-subject design (different subjects under each condition) and within-subject design (same subjects under each condition); independent (compares difference between conditions), dependent (used to assess the effect of the i.v), and confounded (unintended difference that may lead to observed effects)
nonexperiments: quasi-experimental (real-world groups, not reproducible), case studies (single individual, problem of generalizability)

Question 12

divisions of biopsychology (6)

Answer 12

physiological psychology, psychopharmacology, neuropsychology, psycho physiology, cognitive neuroscience, comparative psychology

Question 13

physiological psychology (definition and strategy)

Answer 13

definition: the study of the neural mechanisms of behavior by manipulating the nervous system of nonhuman animals in controlled experiments
strategy: insert precisely a tool in the brain, use the tool, and observe behavior

Question 14

physiological psychology tools (atlas, stereotaxic instrument), lesion methods (unilateral and bilateral; aspiration, knife, and reversible (cold)), electrical stimulation, and physiological recordings

Answer 14

tools: atlas (map of the brain), stereotaxic tool (holds the brain in place and holds the device to be inserted)
lesion methods: unilateral (one half of the brain) and bilateral (both sides of the brain); aspiration (layers of cortical tissue peeled off with pipette), sectioning (cutting to eliminate conduction in a nerve or tract), and reversible (temporarily eliminating activity in a particular part of the brain)
electrical stimulation: insert a wire into the brain and put it next to or inside of the neurons (cells)
physiological recordings: methods to record electrical activity inside or outside of a cell (only with nonhuman animals)

Question 15

psychopharmacology (definition and strategy)

Answer 15

definition: the study of the effects of drugs on the brain and behavior in humans and nonhumans
strategy: administer drugs to increase/decrease the effects of chemical messengers in the brain, and observe behavioral consequences

Question 16

psychopharmacology locating neurotransmitters (immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization) and measuring chemical activity (cerebral microdialysis, radiotracers)

Answer 16

locating neurotransmitters: immunocytochemistry (labels antibodies with dye or radioactive element to neuroproteins —> brain slices) and in situ hybridization (hybrid RNA strands labeled with dye direct the synthesis of the target neuroprotein — brain slices)
measuring chemical activity: cerebral microdialysis (implant a tube, analyze chemicals found outside of cells) and radiotracers (administer a drug for/against a specific target —> brain image)

Question 17

neuropsychology (definition and strategy)

Answer 17

definition: the study of the psychological effects of brain damage in human patients
strategy: assess the cognitive functions of neurological patients using a test battery approach (time-consuming, refines diagnosis and care)

Question 18

neuropsychology customized vs common (Wechsler adult intelligence scale, language laterialization (sodium Amytal, dichotic listening) ) vs specific (Wisconsin card sorting) test battery

Answer 18

customized test battery: find existence and exact nature of deficits; highly successful; common battery of tests followed by customized series (revealed by common battery)
common test battery: WAIS (IQ test), sodium amytal test (anesthetic sodium amytal into carotid artery in the neck —> anesthetizes same-side hemisphere), dichotic listening test (sequences of digits in each ear)
specific: memory, language, frontal-lobe function —> Wisconsin card sorting (tests ability to learn and remember guidelines)

Question 19

psychophysiology (definition and strategy)

Answer 19

definition: the study of the relation between gross physiological activity and physiological processes in human subjects (by noninvasive physiological recording)
strategy: record physiological activity from the surface of the human body while a behavior is performed

Question 20

psychophysiology most widely studied measures (5)

Answer 20

brain, muscle tension, eye movement, skin conductance, cardiovascular activity

Question 21

psychophysiology (EEG, EMG, EOG, ECG)

Answer 21

Electroencephalogram (EEG): measure of electrical activity in the brain
Electromyogram (EMG): measure of muscle tension
Electrooculogram (EOG): records eye movements
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG): records the electrical signal associated with each heartbeat through electrodes placed on the chest

Question 22

cognitive neuroscience (definition and strategy)

Answer 22

definition: the study of the neural mechanisms of human cognition
strategy: use functional brain imaging techniques to identify the parts of the brain that mediate various simple cognitive processes

Question 23

cognitive neuroscience PET and fMRI

Answer 23

Positron emission tomography (PET): first brain-imaging technique to provide images of brain activity rather than of brain structure; inject radioactive substance, have subject perform behavior (active cells take up substance), scan horizontal slice of brain
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI): no substance injected, have subject perform behavior, scan brain for oxygenated blood

Question 24

comparative psychology (definition and strategy)

Answer 24

definition: the study of the evolution, genetics, and adaptiveness of behavior in lab species
strategy: use genetic manipulations and behavioral research methods to assess species-common behaviors

Question 25

comparative psychology fluorescence (brainbow) and animal learning (open-field test, colony-intruder)

Answer 25

brainbow: green fluorescent protein (GFP) exhibits bright green fluorescence when exposed to blue light
open-field test: subject in large, barren chamber; activity in the chamber is recorded
colony-intruder: combative encounters between the dominant male (alpha male) rat of an established colony and a smaller male intruder

Question 26

comparative psychology semi-natural paradigms (conditioned taste aversion, Morris water maze, defensive burying)

Answer 26

Conditioned taste aversion: avoidance of certain tastes of food whose consumption has been followed by illness
Morris water maze: rats in circular, featureless pool of cool milky water in which they must swim until they discover the escape platform
Defensive burying: conditioned response; rats receive an aversive stimulus (i.e. shock) from an object and learn to fling the bedding material from the floor at the test object

Question 27

converging operations

Answer 27

when different approaches are focused on a single problem in such a way that the strengths of one approach compensate for the weaknesses of the other (progress)

Question 28

Korsakoff’s syndrome (definition, hypothesis, data, theory, treatment)

Answer 28

definition: a condition characterized by severe memory loss, commonly seen in alcoholics (i.e. Jimmie G)
hypothesis: due to alcohol
data: seen in malnourished persons who have had little alcohol and in thiamine (vitamin B1)-deficient rats
theory: due to thiamine deficiency but accelerated by alcohol
treatment: given vitamin B1 and counseled to stop drinking