Topic 3: Biological Flashcards
What is Biological Psychology?
Biological psychology aims to explain behaviour by looking at the physical causes. It seeks to use biology as a means of understanding human behaviour.
What are the research methods used in Biological Psychology?
- Correlational studies
- Studies using brain scanning techniques
- Case studies of brain damaged patients
- Lab based experiments using animals
What are the 4 lobes of the brain?
- Frontal lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Occipital lobe
What is the function of the occipital lobe?
Vision
What is the function of the amygdala?
Fight or flight response
What is the function of the frontal lobe?
Decision making
What is the function of the corpus callosum?
Connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain
What is the function of the thalamus?
Relays sensory information to relevant parts of the cortex
What is the function of the parietal lobe?
Sensory information
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Stimulates the release of hormones
What is the function of the temporal lobe?
Hearing
What is the function of the hippocampus?
Memory formation
What is the function of the prefrontal cortex?
Executive functions
What is the function of the limbic system?
Controls emotions
What is the function of the axon?
Carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.
What is the function of dendrites?
Receive information.
What is the function of the cell body?
Contains genetic information.
What is the function of the nucleus?
Stores DNA.
What is the function of the axon hillock?
Generates electrical impulses.
What is the function of the myelin sheath?
Protects the neurone.
What is the function of nodes of Ranvier?
Allows the generation of a fast electrical impulse across the axon.
What is the function of synapses?
Releases neurotransmitters.
How do drugs affect synaptic transmission?
They block transporter receptors so dopamine remains in the synaptic cleft for longer, giving the user a feeling of euphoria.
What happens in stage 1 of Van den Oever et al’s experiment?
One group is trained to self-administer heroin with drug-associated cues like sounds and light; another group is trained to self-administer a sucrose solution with cues.
What happens in stage 2 of Van den Oever et al’s experiment?
The experimental group is split into two; one half is kept in a separate cage without cues, the other half is put in a self-administration box with drug-associated cues but no heroin.
What happens in stage 3 of Van den Oever et al’s experiment?
Each experimental group is split in half again; half are put in a box with drug-associated cues but no heroin, the other half are put in a box with no cues.
What happens in stage 4 of Van den Oever et al’s experiment?
The rats are decapitated and their brains are frozen and later analysed to detect subtle changes in the medial pre-frontal cortex.
What are similarities between neurotransmitters and hormones?
Both influence mood and neural activity in the brain.
What are differences between neurotransmitters and hormones?
Neurotransmitters ensure that messages pass across the synaptic cleft; hormones influence the brain gradually, changing the probability of certain behaviors.
What is the first step in the process of synaptic transmission?
Action potential moves down the pre-synaptic neuron and causes vesicles filled with neurotransmitters to move to the terminal membrane.
What is the second step in the process of synaptic transmission?
The vesicles fuse with the terminal membrane, causing neurotransmitters to be released into the synaptic cleft.
What is the third step in the process of synaptic transmission?
The neurotransmitters bind with protein receptors in the post-synaptic neuron.
What is the fourth step in the process of synaptic transmission?
Neurotransmitters are removed by reuptake, degradation by enzymes, or diffusion away from the synaptic cleft.
What do hormones do?
They stimulate specific cells or organs into action and are chemical messengers secreted by glands.
What is the function of the hypothalamus in aggression?
Controls hormonal levels in the body.
What is the function of the amygdala in aggression?
Enables instinctive reactions to the environment with emotions; activated by threatening stimuli, resulting in increased emotional arousal.
What do fMRI scans explain about aggressive behavior?
If a specific area of the brain has a high BOLD contrast during a behavior, it can be inferred that the area has a role in producing the behavior.
How does the Pre-Frontal Cortex affect aggression?
It allows us to control reactive aggressive impulses from the amygdala, inhibiting automatic reactions to threats.
What did Raine discover using PET scans?
Found brain abnormalities in murderers who pleaded NGRI, with dysfunction in areas implicated in violent behavior such as the amygdala and pre-frontal cortex.
What is the role of serotonin in aggression?
Drugs like antidepressants raise serotonin levels and reduce aggression; serotonin levels decrease in rats anticipating a fight.
What is the link between testosterone and aggression?
Testosterone may influence serotonin levels in areas of the brain involved in aggressive reactions.
What evidence supports the role of testosterone in aggression?
Correlational research shows higher testosterone levels in prisoners convicted of violent crimes; lab experiments show increased aggression in rats injected with testosterone.
What is the link between cortisol and aggression?
Cortisol, produced in the adrenal glands, manages stress levels and inhibits aggressive behavior.
What evidence supports the role of cortisol in aggression?
Correlational research links low cortisol levels in saliva to a higher number of aggressive incidents.
What is the evolution of aggression?
Aggressive behavior is assumed to have evolved for survival, as it aids in adapting to hostile environments and increases reproductive fitness.
What are gender differences in aggressive behavior?
Professions involving violence are overwhelmingly male; men evolved to protect women and compete for survival, participating in risky activities to attract females.
What are twin studies?
Comparisons between monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (non-identical) twins.
What is schizophrenia?
A psychological disorder characterized by delusions and hallucinations.
What did Gottesman and Shields aim to discover?
Whether schizophrenia has a genetic basis; they found it does and can be influenced by genes.
What do adoption studies compare?
Similarities between adopted children and their adoptive parents relative to similarities with their biological parents.
What did Ludeke study?
Whether people’s attitudes could be influenced by their genes; found that genes do influence attitudes towards traditionalism.
What is Freud’s psychodynamic explanation of aggression?
Psychological forces underlie human behavior.
What is the function of the ego?
Controls desires of the id and maintains balance between the id and the superego.
What is the id?
Pleasure-seeking desires.
What is the superego?
Ethics of other people, operating on the morality principle.
What is eros?
Motivates us to live, love, and create new experiences.
What is thanatos?
The death instinct, a destructive drive that causes aggression.
What is psychosexual development?
As children pass through various stages, the libido focuses on different parts of the body.
What is the oral stage?
Libido is focused on the mouth, involving sucking and biting.
What is the anal stage?
Libido is focused on the anus, involving toilet training.
What is the phallic stage?
Libido is focused on the genitals, involving playing with the genitals and attachment to the opposite sex parent.
What is the latency stage?
Libido is focused on sexual feelings, which are suppressed to allow focus on other aspects of life.
What is the genital stage?
Libido is focused on the genitals, with renewed focus on sexual interests and relationships.
What is a correlation coefficient?
A number between -1 and +1 indicating the strength and direction of a correlation.
What are the strengths of correlations?
Quantitative data - easy to analyse.
Clear and not open to interpretation.
What are the weaknesses of correlations?
Doesn’t allow cause-and-effect links to be established.
How to measure testosterone levels?
4D/2D ratio - measure the length of index and ring fingers and find the average ratio in mm across both hands.
How to measure aggression levels?
Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire - asks questions on a 5-point scale, 5 being very likely and 1 being very unlikely.
Define hormone
Chemical substances produced in a specialised gland and transported in blood to stimulate specific cells or organs into action.
