Psychophysiological Factors Flashcards
Psychophysiological Factors
The dynamic interactions between behaviour and the autonomic nervous system
-Heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, digestion
Psychopaths and psychophysiological factors
Have a low resting heart rate, and often don’t react the same way physiologically compared to normal people.
-Brain differences in the amygdala
-Skin conductance; after shocking don’t become heightened or aroused the way most people do
Amygdala
Responsible for the regulation of emotional responses
Temperament
A natural mood disposition determined largely by genetics and biological influences, appears in infancy and continues throughout life. Shows an innate readiness to respond to events and objects across a variety of situations
-Impacts the quality of parent-infant relationships
-Interracts with the environment
Easy Child temperament
-Regular rhythmicity
-Positive moods
-High approach to others
-Rapid adaptability
-Low intensity
Difficult child temperament
-Irregular rhythmicity
-Negative moods
-Low approach to others
-Slow adaptability
-High intensity
has more to do with environment
antisocial behaviours
Slow-to-warm-up child temperament
-Regular rhythmicity
-Negative moods
-Low approach to others
-Slow adaptability
-Low intensity
Predictors of temperament (3)
-Activity (gross motor movement)
-Emotionality (general intensity of emotions)
-Self-regulation (ability to control behaviour, strong correlation with antisocial behaviour and ADHD)
MPA’s
Minor Physical Anomalies are linked to problems with pregnancy and viewed as biomarkers for fetal neural maldevelopment near the end of the first trimester. MPA’s are not risk factors, more MPA’s the greater the risk of antisocial behaviour if in an adverse environment.
-Indicators of an atypical CNS and brain development because the epidermis and CNS have shared embryological origins
-Adherent ear lobes, low set earlobes, telecanthus, single palmer crease, furrowed tongue
