2007PSY WK 1

• Biological Psychology


  (often called behavioural neuroscience) a multidisciplinary field that combines the methods of psychology, biology, physiology, chemistry and computer science to try and explain the relationship between the brain and behaviour
• Main goal of biopsychology

  To understand the biological processes underlying behaviour and experiences
• Applications of Biological Psychology

  • Important for both research careers and careers in healthcare
• Generalisation


  Making an overall conclusion based on many similar observations
• Reduction


  Understanding a larger, complex idea/process by breaking it down into smaller parts
• In biological psychology, we try and reduce behaviours to brain structure and function, as well as make overall generalisations about brain-behaviour relationships
• Mind-body problem


  Philosophical debates about whether the mind is separate from the physical body and brain, or arises from the body
• Humans have long been interested in the mind, and philosophers have debated its relationship to the physical body and the brain
• Aristotle


  Heart = Mind. The brain cools the passions of the heart. "Not only our pleasure, but also our sorrow rises from the brain, and the brain alone"
• Hippocrates


  The brain cools the passions of the heart
• Galen


  Linked mind to brain, treated head injuries of gladiators and noticed behavioural changes, contributed to understanding of anatomy and physiology by dissecting brains of several animals
• Rene Descartes


  Argued that the behaviour of animals (and perhaps even humans) worked similarly to that of a machine, coined the term "reflexes", concluded that some behaviour is separate from the mind, but thought that the mind and body interacted via the pineal gland
• Luigi Galvani


  Electrical stimulation on frog nerves showed that muscles contracted even when not attached to the rest of the body
• Johannes Müller


  All information from nerves is electrical, but that information allows for the visual perception, touch, audition etc... Doctrine of Specific Nerve Energies: Different parts of the brain get information from different nerves. Thus, different parts of the brain serve different functions
• Functionalism


  The physical features of a given species, which govern behaviour, are related to function. Therefore, we have to consider function when studying how the brain shapes behaviour.
• Natural selection


  Physical features within a species vary, some features increase chances of survival and reproduction, features are inherited, features increasing the chance of survival and reproduction become more common in a population
• Organisms are made up of cells which have chromosomes. Chromosomes contain pairs of genes called alleles. Genes are the instructions for producing proteins which are important for cellular functioning. Each allele in a pair is a version of a gene inherited from each parent of the organism.
• Mutations


  Changes in the genetic information contained in the chromosomes of sperm or eggs, which can be passed to offspring, increasing variation
• Mutations change physical characteristics (e.g., the brain) which can impact behaviour


  Mutations can have negative (decrease survival chances) or positive effects (increase survival and reproduction chances = selective advantage)
• Some mutations do not immediately have an impact on chances of survival can be passed on, contributing to genetic variability in a species
• Genetic variability is useful (particularly when there are environmental changes) as it provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon
• Organisms


  Made up of cells which have chromosomes
• Chromosomes


  Contain pairs of genes called alleles
• Genes


  Instructions for producing proteins which are important for cellular functioning
• Alleles


  Versions of a gene inherited from each parent of the organism
• How does natural selection work?

  1. Mutations

  2. Mutations change physical characteristics

  3. Mutations can have negative or positive effects
• Some mutations do not immediately have an impact on chances of survival can be passed on</b>
• These mutations contribute to genetic variability in a species
• Genetic variability


  Useful (particularly when there are changes in the environment)
• To see natural selection and evolution in action, play the biological simulation of natural selection game
• The game demonstrates how certain traits are retained in a population based on survival in different environments
• Some animals were more suited to the desert environment and some to the mountain rock environment
• The species had to adapt to the environment to ensure survival
• Some members had genes that made them less likely to be eaten in a given environment, meaning that their offspring survived and the species continued
• Humans have big brains
• Evolution


  Gradual changes in a species brought about via natural selection over time
• Our ancestors had characteristics well suited for survival
• These traits require complex brain circuitry
• So, we need a relatively large brain
• The brain continues to grow after birth, while the child is cared for