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Biopsychology (Psych) > The Biological Approach > Flashcards

The Biological Approach Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the assumptions?

A

psychology is a science and should be studied scientifically

brain and mind are same, we can study the mind by studying the brain

behaviours have an evolutionary basis; genes have adapted over many years

no genes for behaviours, genes synthesise proteins which affect behaviour

behaviours are influenced by heredity, genetics, biological structures, chemical processes and evolution

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2
Q

what is a genotype?

A
  • actual genetic makeup.
  • shown by 23 pairs of chromosomes.
  • 50% is identical to our siblings and parents, but identical twins share 100%.
  • dictates characteristics such as hair colour and eye colour
  • someone is born with this
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3
Q

what is a phenotype?

A
  • product of what happens when someone interacts with the environment
  • e.g. height is a genotype, but nutrition and diet affects the likelihood of someone reaching that potential height
  • can be physical, behavioural or psychological
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4
Q

what is a dominant gene?

A

controls expression of characteristics of both pairs are dominant or if one is recessive

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5
Q

what is a recessive gene?

A

only influences expression of a characteristic if both pairs of genes are recessive

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6
Q

what is monozygotic (MZ)?

A

identical twins.
share 100% of genetic makeup
develop from one fertilised egg

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7
Q

what is dizygotic (DZ)?

A

non identical twins
develop from 2 fertilised eggs
share 50% of genetic makeup

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8
Q

what does concordant mean?

A

the presence of the same trait in both members of a pair of twins

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9
Q

what does discordant mean?

A

when one twin shows a trait the other doesn’t

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10
Q

strengths of biological approach?

A

uses scientific methods (EEG etc); technological advancements means it’s not open to bias

quantitative data

real life applications such as development of psychoactive drugs

twin studies have lots of data

explanations in terms of neurotransmitters

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11
Q

limitations of biological approach?

A

only discovers association between 2 factors, can’t be sure one causes the other

quantitative data

deterministic- sees behaviour as out of our control: implications for legal system

reasons for behaviour can’t be explained

cannot separate nature and nurture in twin/family studies

cannot account for why DZ twins show higher concordance than normal siblings

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12
Q

what is the central nervous system (CNS)?

A

made up of the brain and spinal cord

the brain ensures life is maintained and is responsible for planning, problem solving, thinking etc

the spinal cord facilitates messages to and from the brain and PNS and is involved in reflex actions

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13
Q

what is a motor neuron?

A

part of CNS

carry’s information about movement out from the brain

have long axons

carries nerve impulses to muscles

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14
Q

what is a sensory neuron?

A

part of CNS

carries sensory information inward to the CNS

carries nerve impulses from receptors in the PNS to the CNS

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15
Q

what are the stages of a reflex behaviour?

A
  1. sensory information about the heat is detected and passed to the CNS by sensory neurons
  2. they pass the message on to a relay/interneuron in the spinal cord
  3. this sends a message down a motor neuron to the muscles, which contract, causing you to move your arm
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16
Q

what is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

A

the nerves that are outside the brain and spinal cord

transmits messages via the millions of neurons to the whole body from the brain and vise versa

broken down into the somatic and autonomic systems

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17
Q

what does the somatic system do?

A

transmits and recieves messages from the senses

e.g. visual from the eyes

also controls muscle movements and receives information from sensory receptors

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18
Q

what does the autonomic system do?

A

transmits and receives messages from the organs

governs vital functions like breathing, digestion, heart rate and stress responses (automatic processes)

broken down into the parasympathetic and the sympathetic systems

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19
Q

what is the parasympathetic system?

A 
Constricts pupils
Stimulates tear glands
Strong stimulation of salivary flow
inhibits heart, dilates arterioles
Constricts bronchi
Stimulates stomach motility and
secretion
stimulates pancreas
Stimulates intestinal motility
Contracts bladder
Stimulates erection
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20
Q

what is the sympathetic system?

A

prepares the body for action

Dilates pupils
No effect on tear glands
Weak stimulation of salivary flow
Accelerates heart, constricts arterioles
Dilates bronchi
Inbibits stomach motility and secretion
inhibits pancreas and adrenals.
Inhibits intestinal motility
Relaxes bladder
Stimulates ejaculation
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21
Q

what is the axon?

A

takes information away from the cell body

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22
Q

what is the axon terminals?

A

hair like ends of the axon

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23
Q

what is the cell body (soma)?

A

contains the nucleus

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24
Q

what are the dendrites?

A

extensions from the cell body that take information to the cell body

25
Q

what is the myelin sheath?

A

fatty substance that surrounds and protects some nerve fibres

26
Q

what are the nodes of ranvier?

A

one of the many gaps in the myelin sheath

27
Q

what is the nucleus?

A

contains chromosomes

28
Q

what are schwann’s cells?

A

cells that produce myelin - located within the myelin sheath

29
Q

what is synaptic transmission?

A

neurons communicate through synapses which are small gaps between neurones where neurotransmitters are realeased and passed from the axon terminal or one neuron, to the dendrite of the recovering neuron

when there are enough activated receptors, another nerve impulse is created and the message is passed on

30
Q

what is excitatory potential?

A

acetylcholine is an example of an excitatory NT

if enough of this NT binds to the post synaptic receptors, the chance of nerve firing increases

31
Q

what is inhibitory potential?

A

GABA is an example of an inhibitory NT

it binds with the post synaptic neuron, stabilising the membrane, making an action potential less likely (calming effect on neural activity)

32
Q

what are examples of neurotransmitters?

A

dopamine
serotonin
melatonin

33
Q

what is dopamine?

A

plays a role in movement, memory, and pleasurable reward and motivation

34
Q

what is serotonin?

A

plays a role in mood, sleep, digestion, nausea, wound healing, bone health, blood clotting etc

35
Q

what is melatonin?

A

helps with timing of circadian rhythms and sleep

36
Q

is the endocrine system part of the nevvous system?

A

no

37
Q

what does the endocrine system consist of?

A

all glands in the body and the hormones they produce

38
Q

what is the endocrine system controlled by?

A

the CNS and chemical messages in the blood

39
Q

are hormones the same as neurotransmitters?

A

no!

40
Q

what does the endocrine system maintain?

A

maintains stable biological functions, known as homeostasis

41
Q

how are hormones released?

A

realeased by glands and are usually transported in the bloodstream, whereas neurotransmitters involve communication between neurons.

only a few substances count as both hormones and neurotransmitters eg oxytocin

42
Q

what do hormones in the endocrine system do?

A

regulate growth and development, reproduction, sleep, mood, tissue function etc

43
Q

what does the endocrine system consist of?

A 
pituitary gland 
thyroid gland
parathyroid gland 
adrenal glands
pancreas
ovaries/testes
thymus
44
Q

difference between hormones travelling in the bloodstream compared to electrical messages?

A

hormones travelling through the bloodstream reach their target organ at a much slower pace than electrical messages

45
Q

are hormones broken down as quickly as NTs?

A

No, so the effects of the hormones can last for a longer period of time

46
Q

how are hormones picked up by their target organ?

A

hormones travel all over the body, but are only picked up by receptor sites on cells that are directly affected by the hormone (target cells) in target organs

47
Q

when are hormones secreted?

A

when a gland is stimulated

this might be due to a chemical message or by a change in the concentration of another substance

48
Q

what does the hypothalamus do?

A

it is located in the brain

regulates hunger, thirst, sleep and wakefulness, plus most involuntary mechanisms including body temperature

49
Q

what does the pituitary gland do?

A

it is located in the brain

controls all other endocrine glands. influences growth, metabolism and regeneration

50
Q

what do the thyroid glands do?

A

regulates your energy and metabolism

51
Q

what does the parathyroid do?

A

secretes hormones necessary for calcium absorption

52
Q

what does the thymus do?

A

helps build resistance to disease

53
Q

what does the pancreas do?

A

aids in the digestion of protein, fats and carbohydrates. produces insulin which controls blood sugar levels

54
Q

what do the adrenal glands do?

A

secretes hundreds of compounds including cortisone and adrenaline which help you to react to emergencies.

regulates metabolic processes in the cells, water balance, blood pressure etc

55
Q

what do the ovaries do?

A

influences how your blood circulates and determines your mental rigour and your sex drive (testes in males)

56
Q

what coordinates fight or flight?

A

the hypothalamus

57
Q

what systems does fight or flight involve?

A

both the endocrine system and the nervous system

58
Q

what is the process of a fight or flight response?

A
  1. in the initial shock response, the hypothalamus triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the ANS
  2. this stimulates the adrenal medulla within the adrenal glands which releases adrenaline and noradrenaline in the blood stream
  3. the hormones affect the body
  4. these changes in the body preserve energy and ensure the body is ready for action. this means that we are prepared in a stressful situation

Biopsychology (Psych) (5 decks)

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