Week 1 - Intro - Approaches, Perspectives & Contexts

Question 1

What is meant by monism

Answer 1

The idea that the mind is made of the same substance as the rest of the universe.

Question 2

An ontogenic explanation focuses on what

Answer 2

How a behaviour develops

Question 3

What is an example of an evolutionary explanation (as opposed to a functional explanation)

Answer 3

Humans have a tiny tailbone because our ancient monkey-like ancestors had a tail.

Question 4

What are reasons favouring the use of animals in biological psychology research aimed at solving human problems

Answer 4

The nervous system of nonhuman animals resembles that of humans in many ways

certain processes or behaviours may be more exaggerated in animals than in humans

biopsychs are interested in animals for their own sake

often educates us about human evolution

many studies can not use humans for ethical reasons

Question 5

What does a minimalist favor with regard to animal research

Answer 5

animal research is permissible, but should be held to a minimum

Question 6

Two profound difficult questions

Answer 6

Why does the universe exist & why does consciousness exist. These questions, may not be answerable, but they do motivate research on related topics

Question 7

Perception process

Answer 7

• Perception occurs in your brain, not your skin,
• The current theory is that brain activity is inseparable from mental activity.
• It is important to be cautious about what is or is not an explanation of behaviour

Question 8

Biological Psychologists address 4 questions about any behaviour

Answer 8

• How does the behaviour relate to the physiology of the brain and other organs?
• Ontogenetic - how does it develop within the individual
• Evolutionary - How did the capacity for the behaviour evolve.
  Functional - why did the capacity for this behaviour evolve, as in what function does it or did it serve?

Question 9

Biological Psychology

Answer 9

Dealing mostly with brain activity, it is the view that we think and act because of brain mechanisms. The goal is to relate biology to issues of psychology.

Question 10

Dualism

Answer 10

The opposite to monism - it is the idea that minds are one substance and matter is a different substance.

Question 11

Evolutionary Explanation/ Comparisons (between species eg human and animal)

Answer 11

Is a reconstruction of a structure or behaviour, which has evolved over time. Eg. - monkeys using tools, to humans using tools. Bat wings have modified arms. etc.

Question 12

Functional Explanation

Answer 12

Why has a structure or behaviour evolved. A functional explanation, identifies the advantage of the evolving structure or behaviour.

Question 13

Ontogenetic explanation

Answer 13

How a structure or behaviour develops - influence of genes, nutrition, experiences and interactions.

Question 14

Physiological explanation

Answer 14

relates a behaviour to the activity of the brain and other organs. This is the machinery of the body. The physical interaction.

Question 15

Mind - Brain or Mind-Body

Answer 15

The question of how mind relates to brain activity. Why are certain types of brain activity conscious. No current convincing explanation of why consciousness exists. Consciousness is something we experience, which is why we call for an explanation.

Question 16

Somatic Interventions (approach)

Answer 16

Alter structure/function of the brain to examine its effects on the body.

Question 17

Behavioural Interventions (approach)

Answer 17

manipulates the behaviour to examine its effects on the structure/function

Question 18

Brain-Behaviour Correlations (approach)

Answer 18

how body measures vary with behavioural measures and vice versa. Leading to neural plasticity

Question 19

Neural plasticity

Answer 19

effects at the level of the brain (neutrons, cells etc)

the higher order effects of the brain on behaviour (complex ways in which components interact)

Question 20

Levels of analysis in BioPsych

Answer 20

Social
Organ
Neural Systems 
Brain Region 
Cellular 
Synaptic 
Molecular

Question 21

Reductionist Approach

Answer 21

A simplified reduced approach/response/explanation. Easier to believe something simpler, we must be more critical as students. The brain is complex therefore the answer will always be complex. Answers need to have a range of perspectives.

Question 22

Response Mechanisms

Answer 22

The process of responding to incoming stimuli forms a chain of events which result in the appropriate responses

Question 23

Why do we study bio psych

Answer 23

to explore the mechanisms underlying the associations between the mind and the body
- including response mechanisms & internal environments of the body, and the interactions of these with the mind, thought processes, memory and other higher functions

Question 24

modern approaches to the study of bio psych

Answer 24

clinical
experimental
scientific inference

Question 25

Ethical considerations

Answer 25

Risk to the participant
Risks involved in the examination
Research with animals (pros and cons)