L01: psychobiology

Question 1

definition of psychology

Answer 1

‘psyche’ + ‘logos’ = the study of the soul/mind

Question 2

two philosophical positions of the mind

Answer 2

dualists and materialists

Question 3

dualist

Answer 3

the mind is different and separate from matter, ‘WHERE in the brain is the mind?’

Question 4

materialist

Answer 4

mind is what the brain does, ‘HOW do brains mind?’

Question 5

psychobiology

Answer 5

the study of the human brain - aims to understand the biological basis of human behaviour

Question 6

behaviour

Answer 6

an organisms internally coordinated response to its internal and external environment

Question 7

3 systems that an organism uses to respond to its environment

Answer 7

immune, endocrine, nervous system

Question 8

immune system

Answer 8

protects the body from infection by fighting bacteria, viruses etc

Question 9

endocrine system

Answer 9

maintains and regulates the body’s internal state, controls growth, development and reproduction

Question 10

nervous system

Answer 10

controls ongoing activity by coordinating rapid and precise responses to stimuli. the biological basis of all cognitive functions

Question 11

educational psychologists: adhd vs muscle tone

Answer 11

young boy constantly fidgets, cant sit still + drops to the floor and crawls being disruptive. prescribe ritalin for ADHD

however it could be LOW muscle tone - arms floppy, child struggles to make sense of sensory input (where his legs and arms are.

keeping track of his own body parts is difficult enough = less attention to give elsewhere. prescribe physiotherapy

Question 12

false memory

Answer 12

in a court case it may be that a witness is not lying but they have false memory retrieval

Question 13

clinician: psychosomatic illnesses

Answer 13

illnesses that are in the mind/cant be seen. harder to diagnose so a biological understanding of the brain can help with treatments that will work eg. SSRI’s

Question 14

biological perspective

Answer 14

no psychological theory or concept can violate biological (physical) principles

eg. theories about reincarnation are not psychological theories, BUT theories about belief in reincarnation are

no psychological research question can be outside a biological framework

eg. research into life after death is not psychological research, BUT research into ‘near death experience’ is