Paper 2- Biopsychology (The Nervous system and Endocrine System)

Question 1

Define- Nervous System

Answer 1

Consists of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Question 2

Define- Central nervous system- CNS

Answer 2

consists of the brain and spinal cord, origin of all complex demands and decisions. Passes messages to and from the brain and connects to the PNS .

Question 3

Define- Brain

Answer 3

Centre of all conscious awareness. The cerebral cortex is highly developed (differs us from animals) It is divided into two parts.

Question 4

Define- Spinal Chord

Answer 4

An extension of the brain and is responsible for reflex actions.

Question 5

Define- Parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 5

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy. “rest and digest”

Question 6

Define- Sympathetic Nervous System

Answer 6

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations. “fight or flight”

Question 7

What is the functions of the nervous system?

Answer 7

The nervous system is a specialised network of cells in the human body and is our primary internal communication system.

It has two main functions:
To collect, process and respond to information in the environment
To coordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body

It is divided into the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Question 8

What are the different parts of the CNS?

Answer 8

The brain is the centre of all conscious awareness.

The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain and is what distinguishes human mental functions from those of animals.

The brain is divided into two hemispheres – the left and the right.
Each hemisphere has four lobes – frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal.

The spinal cord is an extension of the brain.
It is responsible for reflex actions for example pulling your hand away from a hot plate.
It passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to the Peripheral Nervous System.

Question 9

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 9

The PNS transmits messages via millions of neurons (nerve cells), to and from the central nervous system.
It is subdivided into two:
Autonomic nervous system
Somatic nervous system

Question 10

What is the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 10

This governs vital functions in the body such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal and stress responses – involuntary effect.
It is subdivided into two:
The sympathetic nervous system – it activates internal organs and increases bodily activities
The parasympathetic nervous system - it relaxes internal organs and decreases bodily activities

Question 11

What is the somatic nervous system?

Answer 11

This transmits information from receptor cells in the sense organs to the central nervous system.
It receives information from the central nervous system that directs muscles to act – voluntary effect.

Question 12

What is the endocrine system?

Answer 12

The endocrine system works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions.
This system works more slowly than the nervous system but has very widespread and powerful effects.

One of the body’s major information systems that instructs glands to release hormones directly into the blood stream. These hormones are carried towards target organs in the body.

Question 13

What is a gland?

Answer 13

An organ in the body that syntheses (makes) substances such as hormones.

Question 14

What is a hormone?

Answer 14

Chemical substances that circulate in the bloodstream and only affect target organs. They are produced in large quantities but disappear quickly. Their effects are very powerful.

Question 15

What does the pituitary gland do?

Answer 15

Hormone- Lots

Sometimes known as the master gland because the hormones released by the pituitary gland control and stimulate the release of hormones from other glands in the endocrine system

Question 16

What does the pineal gland do?

Answer 16

Hormone- Melatonin

Responsible for bodys biological rhythms, including the sleep- wake cycle.

Question 17

What does the Thyroid gland do?

Answer 17

Hormone- Thyroxin

Responsible for regulating metabolism.

Question 18

What does the testes gland do?

Answer 18

Hormone- testosterone

Responsible for the development of male sex characteristics during puberty while also promoting muscle growth.

Question 19

What does the ovaries (gland) do?

Answer 19

Hormone- oestrogen

Controls the regulation of the female reproduction system. This includes the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

Question 20

What does the adrenal gland do?

Answer 20

Hormone- Adrenaline

Responsible for the fight or flight response- stimulates the heart rate, contracts blood vessels, and dilated the air passage.

Question 21

What does the pancreas (gland) do?

Answer 21

Hormone- insulin

Allows the body to use glucose from carbohydrates in food for energy or to store glucose for future use. It helps keep the blood sugar level down.

Question 22

What is the fight or flight response?

Answer 22

This response is the way an animal responds when stressed.

The body becomes physiologically aroused in readiness to fight an aggressor, or in some cases, flee. The response is reflexive – meaning that it occurs without conscious awareness or thought.
This response shows how the endocrine system and the autonomic nervous system work together.

Question 23

What happens in the fight or flight response?

Answer 23

1) The hypothalamus (section of the brain) recognises that there is a threat in the environment.

2) The ANS (autonomous nervous system) activates the sympathetic nervous system.

3) The sympathetic nervous system tells the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH).

4) This sends a message to the adrenal gland.

5) The adrenal gland responds by releasing adrenaline.

6) The adrenaline travels via the bloodstream and targets organs in the body which have adrenaline receptors.

7) This causes many physical changes to occur.

8) The above process is the fight or flight response and allows the body to act.

9) Once the threat has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system brings the body back to normal, resting, functions.

Question 24

Adrenaline produces sympathetic and parasympathetic responses- what are these?

Answer 24

SYMPATHETIC
increased heart rate
increased breathing rate
inhibits digestion
contracts rectum
inhibits saliva production
pupils dilate

PARASYMPATHETIC
decreases heart rate
decreases breathing rate
stimulated digestion
stimulates saliva production
constricts pupils

Question 25

Fight or flight evaluation

Answer 25

LIMITATIONS
Freeze response- limitation double whopper
Some psychologists suggest that humans engage in an initial ‘freeze’ response.
Gray (1988) suggests that the first response to danger is to avoid confrontation altogether i.e., freeze.
During the freeze response animals and humans are hyper-vigilant, while they appraise the situation to decide the best course of action for that particular threat.
This suggests that the fight or flight response considered is limited as it does not explain all outcomes.

Tend and befriend- Limitation hamburger
More recent research suggests that females adopt a ‘tend and befriend’ response in stressful/dangerous situations.
Taylor et al. (2000) found women are more likely to protect their offspring (tend) and form alliances with other women (befriend), rather than fight an adversary or flee.
The fight or flight response is therefore typically a male response to danger.

Beta bias- Limitation, double whopper
Early research into the fight or flight response was typically conducted on males. This is known as androcentrism.
Researchers assumed that the findings could be generalised to females.
This is an example of beta bias, under-estimating the differences between the sexes reducing the explanatory power of the fight or flight response.
This shows that the fight or flight explanation cannot be applied to all individuals in the same way.

Manipulative response- limitation hamburger
The stressors of modern-day life can repeatedly activate the fight or flight response.
Humans who face a lot of stress and continually activate the sympathetic nervous system, continually increase their blood pressure which can cause damage to their blood vessels and heart disease.
This suggests that the fight or flight response is a maladaptive response in modern-day life.

Biologically reductionist- limitation hamburger
The fight or flight response is biologically reductionist.
It attempts to explain human behaviour based on the role of adrenaline and the effect of the sympathetic nervous system.
It does not account for any other elements that could influence a response to a stressful situation such as cognitive processes.
It may therefore be too limited an explanation.