Chapters 3 & 4

• biopsychology is explaining behavior and mental processes in terms of physiological and genetic factors

  
  

  The underlying assumption of biopsychologists is that everything we do, think, or feel involves activity in the nervous system
• dualism is a doctrine that physiology is governed by scientifically knowable principles, but thought and emotions are not.
•  monism is a doctrine that thought and emotions are governed by the same principles as physiology.
• Animal Models in Biopsychology Research

  • The use of animal models in biopsychology research has significantly contributed to our current knowledge.
  • Mammals share a common evolutionary history, resulting in similar brain structures and functions across species.
  • Studies on animals, like mice or rats, help understand functions of brain structures, applicable to humans.
  • Enables experimentation otherwise impossible or unethical on humans.
• Environmental Effects on Brain Structure and Function

  • Research on humans and animals, utilizing imaging techniques like fMRI, highlights how environmental events can alter brain structure and function.
  • Childhood abuse, studied through fMRI, can permanently affect memory processing, even years later.
  • Blurs the nature-nurture debate in psychology, suggesting both genetic/biological factors and environmental influences shape behavior.
  • Brain structures and function are influenced by both biology and environment, shaping human behavior.
• The first division of the nervous system involves dividing it into two major parts: the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system
• Peripheral Nervous System

  • Function: Input-output division of the nervous system.
  • Transmission: Sends messages to and from the central nervous system.
  • Components: Includes sensory nerves and motor nerves.
  • Sensory Nerves: Carry information into the central nervous system.
  • Motor Nerves: Carry commands out of the central nervous system.
• Somatic Nervous System

  • Function: Controls voluntary actions and movements.
  • Input: Receives sensory information from the environment.
  • Output: Sends commands to skeletal muscles.
  • Examples: Walking, riding a bike.
• Autonomic Nervous System

  • Function: Regulates involuntary functions of organs and glands.
  • Input: Monitors internal state of the organism.
  • Output: Adjusts organ and gland functions as needed.
  • Control: Functions are automatic or involuntary.
• Division of PNS

  • Components: Somatic Nervous System and Autonomic Nervous System.
  • Somatic NS: Controls voluntary actions and interactions with the environment.
  • Autonomic NS: Regulates internal functions and maintains balance.
  • Autonomic Control: Functions are autonomously regulated.
• Autonomic Nervous System Divisions

  • Subsystems: Sympathetic Nervous System and Parasympathetic Nervous System.
  • Antagonistic Nature: Sympathetic and parasympathetic branches have opposing effects on the internal environment.
  • Sympathetic Branch: Activates during stress or danger, prepares the body for action (fight or flight response).
  • Parasympathetic Branch: Active during relaxed states, concerned with increasing energy reserves.
• Effects of Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Stimulation

  • Organ Stimulation: Both branches stimulate organs and glands with different effects.
  • Examples: Pupil dilation vs. contraction, heart rate and force changes, lung bronchiole dilation vs. constriction, stomach digestion secretion increase vs. decrease.
  • Additional Effects: Sympathetic stimulation increases blood glucose levels, blood coagulation, and basal metabolism.
• Sexual Arousal and Autonomic Nervous System

  • Exception: Sexual arousal is dependent on parasympathetic function.
  • Impact of Sympathetic Arousal: Can disrupt sexual arousal, as seen in the example of encountering a bear while in a sexually aroused state.
  • Common Cause of Sexual Dysfunction: Stress, which activates the sympathetic system and is incompatible with sexual performance.
• Polygraphs and Sympathetic Arousal

  • Measurement: Polygraphs measure changes in sympathetic arousal.
  • Procedure: Establish baseline arousal levels, then ask questions related to the event or crime of interest.
  • Assumption: Deceitful answers lead to increased sympathetic arousal, detected by changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductivity.
  • Limitations: Not everyone responds the same to lying, leading to errors in interpretation.