Biopsychology and research methods Flashcards
CNS and it’s divisions
Concerned with all life functions and psychological progresses
Consists of spinal cord (receives and transmits info to and from the brain) and brain (maintains life, involved in higher functions and psychological processes)
PNS and it’s divisions
Transmits info to and from the CNS
Divided into somatic (info to and from the senses and CNS) and autonomic (info to and from internal organs)
Sympathetic increases bodily activity and parasympathetic maintains or decreases
The central nervous system functions
Control behaviour
Regulate body’s physiological processes
Spinal cord functions
Function to relay info between brain and body
Allows brain to monster and regulate bodily processes
Brain components
Consists of cerebellum, cerebrum, diencephalon, brain stem
Cerebrum
85% of total brain mass
Largest part
Higher brain functions such as thought and action
Made up of four lobes
Cerebellum
Motion related activities
Contributes to coordination that doesn’t initiate movement
Balance, posture, coordination etc
Diencephalon
Four components: thalamus, hypothalamus, sub thalamus, epi thalamus
Hypothalamus is the integral part of the endocrine system, most important function of linking the nervous system to endocrine via the pituitary gland
Brain stem
Responsible for basic, life functions such as breathing, heart beat and blood pressure
Mid brain, pons and medulla
Peripheral nervous system function
All nerves outside the CNS make up the PNS
PNS’s function is to relay nerve impulses from CNS to the rest of the body
Divisions: somatic and autonomic nervous system
Somatic PNS
Cranial and spinal nerves
Transmission of info to and from the CNS
Involved in reflex
Autonomic PNS
Regulates involuntary action
Sympathetic increases bodily activities
Parasympathetic maintains or decreases
Nucleus
Contains genetic material in the form of DNA
Exists in most types of cells
Control centre
Dendrites
Fibres which emanate from the cell body
Provides receptive zones that receive activation from other neurones
Increase surface area of cell body
Transmit info. to the cell body
Axon
Act as transmission lines that send activation to other neurones
Larger the axon, faster it transmits info
Cell body/ soma
Processes incoming activation and turns into output activations
Soma and nucleus keep neurone functional
Support structures of the cell- mitochondria (energy for the cell)
The nervous system
Complex network of nerve cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to different parts of the body, allowing parts to communicate with each other
Brain controls nervous system
Biological basis of psychological experiences
Terminal buttons
Located at the end of neurone
Send signals to other neurones
Has synaptic gap at the end where neurotransmitter carries signal across synapse (neurotransmitter such as seratonin or dopamine)
Sensory neuron
Tell rest of brain about the external and internal environment by processing info from the senses
Turn info into neural impulses and then translated into sensation before reaching the brain
Only transmit from body to brain
Relay neurones
Carry messages from one part of Central nervous system to another
Connect motor and sensory neurones
Exist in only brain and spinal cord
Send and receive messages
Motor neurones
Carry signals from CNS to help organs, glands and muscles to function
Send and receive messages
Form synapses with muscles and release neurotransmitters that trigger a muscle move response
Excitatory neurotransmitters
‘On switches’
Increase likelihood that an excitatory signal is sent to the post synaptic cell
Inhibitory neurotransmitters
‘Off switches’
Decrease likelihood that a neurone will fire
Calming mind and body
Endocrine system
Series of glands which release hormones into bloodstream and other bodily fluids
One way body sends messages to organs
The endocrine is said to relate to pyschology as examples such as oxytocin is thought to play an important part in attachment behaviour and formation of bonds
Function of pituitary gland
Regulates endocrine system, control blood water level
Function of parathyroid
Raise blood calcium level
Thyroid
Release steady amount of hormones
Adrenal
Prepares body for action- fight or flight response
Function of pancreas
Controls blood and sugar levels
Function of ovaries
Controls puberty and menstrual cycle, stimulates production of LH and suppresses FSH
Function of testis
Controls puberty in males
sympathomedullary pathway
Immediate (acute) stressors arouse sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system
Acute stress and sympathomedullary pathway steps
Hypothalamus (part that detects stress in brain)
Activates ANS
Stimulates adrenal medulla
Releases hormones (adrenaline/ noradrenaline)
Effect of adrenaline
Quicken heart rate and breathing
Slows down digestion to conserve resources for fight or flight
Parasympathetic branch of ANS returns heart rate and blood pressure to normal and speeds up digestion to cause body to relax
The pituitary adrenal system
If stress continues to become chronic then the pituitary adrenal system is activated
The pituitary adrenal system steps
Hypothalamus Releases corticotrophin (CRF) Then pituitary gland secretes ACTH Travels to adrenal cortex Release of corticosteroid hormones
Effect of cortisol
Steady supply of blood sugar
Continued energy to enable body to cope with the stressor
Action potential
Occurs when a neurone sends info down an axon, away from the cell body
What is meant by the fight or flight response?
Instinctive physiological response to a threat, readies to either resist forcibly or to run away
Strength of the fight or flight response
Researched scientifically and using objective methods such as monitoring hormone levels in blood
Three weaknesses of the fight or flight response
Women may respond more often with ‘tend and befriend’
Cooperation under stress is another response, such as the coping with 9/11
Reductionist as doesn’t acknowledge the role of thought
What are the strengths of the role of biological structures in explaining human behaviour?
Could have a clinical use such as research into the impact of oxytocin levels
Results obtained from research into the role is scientific
What are the weaknesses of the role of biological structures in explaining human behaviour?
Could influence human behaviour to varying degrees and may only be ‘tools’ that allow behaviour to occur rather than cause it
Reductionist behaviour is too complex to be due to a single hormone
What is independent groups design?
Participants randomly allocated so different individuals are used in each condition
What are the advantages of independent groups design?
No risk of practice effects
Less likely to show demand characteristics
What are demand characteristics?
Participants work out the nature of the study and manipulate behaviour as a result
What are the disadvantages of independent groups design?
No control of individual difference or participant variables
Twice as many participants needed; not as economical
What is repeated measures design?
Same participants for all conditions
What are the advantages of repeated measures design?
Participant variables are controlled
More economical- fewer participants
What are the disadvantages of repeated measures design?
Practice effects have an effect
Demand characteristics may be present
What is matched pairs design?
Participants in each condition are matched to each other on variables that apply to the study
What are the advantages of matched pairs design?
Tackles participant variables
No order/ practice effects
What are the disadvantages of matched pairs design?
Difficult and time consuming
Still might be personal differences
