The Biological approach (Module 2) Flashcards
Define biopsychology
The study of behaviour and experience in terms of genetics,evolution,physiology especially the physiology of the nervous system. Genes which we inherit affect much of our behaviour.
Who introduced the idea of biology in psychology?
Darwin
Ex: survival of the fittest
evolutionary theory
What are 2 ideas that Darwin introduced ?
He concluded that not only humans have complex mind functions, but also animals. He also concluded that human evolved from more basic species.
Mention 4 contributions that Darwin had on psychology.
1)Psychologists started trying to understand human behaviour from biological perspective: Freud highlighted the theory of sex drive in humans.
2) By studying non-human species, psychologists realized that this research could help shed more light on human behaviour
3) Heredity and behaviour. Psychologists started studying heredity and how it influences human behaviour. This influenced the nature and nurture debate.
4) Genetic differences in a species mean that evolution favours the survival of the fittest. This led to studying individual differences in intelligence and personality. (Darwin influenced evolutionary psychology)
What did Plomin came up with in terms of the biological approach?
He identified 3 ways how the genes of an individual influence his or her environment
Active covariation
Passive covariation
Reactive covariation
Explain active covariation
Our genetic abilities seek situations which reinforce genetic differences
Ex: children who have a high genetic ability, read more books which improves their intelligence
Explain passive covariation
For example: parents of high genetic ability provide more stimulating environment
Ex; these parents introduce reading and writing earlier on
Explain reactive covariation
When the genes of an individual influence how he or she is treated by other people.
Ex: adults discuss complex topics with high intelligence children
Therefore what can be concluded regarding active, passive and reactive covariation?
That genetic factors impact the environment. And the environment influences back the genetics. There is constantly an interaction between genes and the environment
What is the nature-nurture debate?
Are people different due to their genetic makeup? or are they different because of their experiences.
In reality both are important because they contribute to our differences and similarities.
For example individuals with blonde or brunette hair
Individuals who are lazy or smart
What is the best way how to study the nature-nurture debate?
Twin studies
Name the 2 types of twins
Monozygotic (identical twins) and Dizygotic (fraternal twins)
Name some characteristics of identical twins
Conceived from the same egg
share 100% of their genetic makeup
Name some characteristics of fraternal twins
Conceived from 2 different eggs
They only share 50% of their genes
What can be concluded about twin research?
That if genetic factors contribute to differences in things such as intelligence or aggression it can be understood that identical twins would be more similar regarding these characteristics than fraternal twins
HOWEVER, genetic factors also contribute to individual differences in identical twins,thereofr bot heredity and the nevironment determine certain characteristics.
What are some misunderstandings about twin research?
1) That they only give us information about genetic differences ,which is false because they also provide information on environmental influences
2) The impacts of genetics and the environment are separate (FALSE). Research shows that genetics influence the environment
3) The effects of genetic factors on individual differences are fixed and unchaniging.NO. Because they may vary in populations.
Define maturation
Aspects of children’s development occurring with little or no influence from learning or experience
Who came up with the maturational theory? + what does it state?
Gesell
He concluded that instinctive behaviour and maturation are less important to human species as most of our behaviour is learned, yet genetics do come to play
What is a reflex?
Rapid unlearned responses
True or false
Human behaviour is less associated with instinctive behaviour
True
What 2 organs is the nervous system made up of?
Brain and spinal cord
What is the nervous system made up of?
Brain
spinal cord
Nerve cells
What are the cells which support nerve cells?
Glia cells
Explain how a message passes along through a nerve cell,mentioning the different structures.
Messages move from the brain to the muscles thanks to nerve cells and vice versa
Messages move in the form of an electrical impulse
The message enters through the dendrites, moves to the cell body,and then down into the axons,to move to the next neuron until it reaches its destination.
The axons are covered in a fatty substance called a myelin sheath which helps in the transmission of the electrical impulse
What are the messages that are not passed to the brain called?
Reflexes (rapid unlearned responses)
They do not pass to the brain,to enusre that no time is wasted and the action is as fast as possible to conduct a response : ex: when letting go of a hot pan to not burn your hand
What are the 2 types of nervous system?
Central and peripheral
What do each systems consist of and mention their functions
Central: brain and spinal cord
Passes senosry information from the pns to the brain
Transmits motor information from the brain to the PNS.
Peripheral nervous system: (all the nerve cells which are not found in the CNS
Transmits information between the CNS and the receptors and effectors outisde the CNS
How is the peripheral nervous system further divided?
Somatic and Autonomic nervous system
Mention their functions and give examples
Somatic nervous system (concerned with the external environment)
Controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles that is under your control. (muscles attached to bone)
Ex: walking,talking,running,writing
Autonomic nervous system: (concerned with the internal environment)
Controls involuntary movement of non-skeletal muscles . (muscle action that is not under your control)
Ex: heartbeating,sweating or breathing,reflexes.
How is the autonomic nervous system divided?
Sympathetic and parasympathetic
True or false
The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system should try and balance eachother out,this is called homesostasis
True
What is homeostasis in terms of psychology?
A dyanamic balance between the autonomic branches (sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems)
What is the function of the sympathetic nervous system + give examples?
Produces energy and arousal
Makes us active
Responsible for the flight or fight responses
Ex: increases heartrate and stimulates the production of adrenaline
What is the function of the parasympathetic nervous system + give examples?
Makes us calm
Reduces arousal and saves energy
Responsible for the Rets and digst functions
Ex: Pupils constrict and slow heartbeat. ,increased activity in the stomach
Define the “fight or flight response”
It is an instinctive physiological response and prepares one to either attack or to run away.
What are the 3 types of brain organisations?
Forebrain
midbrain
hindbrain
What are the components of the forebrain?
4 components
cerebrum
limbic system
thalamus
hypothalamus
Mention the function of the cerebrum
Can also be called the cerebral cortex
Highly folded to increase the surface area for coordination
Major role in learning and cognitive abilities such as learning,thinking,remebering and voluntary actions
Mention the function of the limbic system
Consists of the amygdala and the hippocamus
Hippocampus:learning and memory
Amygdala: responsible for emtional responses ,learning and memeory: abnormal functioning of the amygdala can be linked with condititons such as depression ,anxiety or autism.
Mention the function of the thalamus
Conveys information to other areas of the brain and is involved in wakefullness and sleep
Mention the function of the hypothalamus
Controls autonomic functions such as: body temperature,hunger,thirst and sexual behaviour.
Controls the major release of 8 hormones by the pituitary gland. ex:growth hormone
Mention the function of the midbrain
The middle part of the brain which is responsible for vision,hearing and control of movement. + also concerned with reticular activiating system which is nvoved in sleep regulation,wakefullnes and arousal
Name the 3 main components of the hindbrain
The hindbrain is one of the first evolved part of the brain (reptilian brain)
Cerebellum
Pons
Medulla oblongata
Name the function of the cerebellum
Controls balance and coordination. Skills such as riding a bike or typing are controlled by this part
Name the function of the pons
Controls consciousness and transmits messages to other parts of the brain
Name the function of the medulla oblongata
Controls,breathing,digestion and swallowing
Damage to this part can cause death
How can the cerebral cortex be divided?
The left cerebral hemisphere (controls the right side of the body)
The right cerebral hemisphere (controls the left side of the body)
Imp role in perception,language and memeory thought
Define Hemispheric Specialisation/Lateralisation
It refers to the fact that the hemispheres differ in functions. One hemisphere is normally responsible for certain processing more than another hemisphere. EDx: the right hemisphere is more dominant in creativity, music and the left hemisphere is much more dominant in maths,logic,lanugae and calculations.
What separates the 2 hemispheres from each other?
Corpus callosum
This structure allows information to be passed on from one hemisphere to another
Mention the 4 lobes of the brain
Frontal
Parietal
Temporal
Occiptal
Draw the brain showing the 4 lobes
What is the function of the frontal lobe?
Responsible for complex thinking such as:organising,plannning, + voluntary movement.
Brain damage would cause dysexecutive syndrome which involves sevrere damage of complex cognitive functions (planning and organiztion)
What is the function of the parietal lobe?
Responsible for various senses such as temperature,pain,taste or pressure. (This s called somatosensation) It involves various perceptual processes based on the information received from the skin and the body.
What is the function of the temporal lobe?
Responsible for hearing processes such as speech and music
What is the function of the occipital lobe?
Responsible for visual processing
What is the evidence regarding that the brain transmits information to each hemispheres of the brain. Ex: right conveys information to the left
Split brain patients
True or false
Although each lobe has different functions it is important to note that all 4 lobes work in association with each other
True
Mention 2 techniques how the brain can be studied
Spatial resolution and temporal resolution
What is the difference between these 2 techniques?
Spatial: helps us identify WHERE it happens
Temporal: helps us identify WHEN it happens
What does MRI stand for?
Magnetic Resonance imaging
What does ERP stand for?
Event related potential
What does PET stand for?
Positron emission tomography
Mention some characteristics of an MRI
High spatial resolution but low temporal resolution
A scanner which shows brain activity and measures the regions where there are a lot of oxygenated blood cells
Mention some characteristics of ERP
A stimulus is presented several times
electrodes are used to get a brain activityreadings
High temporal resolution but low spatial resolution
Mention some characteristics of PET
High spatial resolution
Low temporal resolution
Useful to measure how well the treatment is woring and used to detect several conditions like cancers or brains disroders ,or heart disease.
