what is biopsychology, anyway? chapter 1 biopsychology as a neuroscience 1
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Four Major Themes 1. Thinking creatively about biopsychology
Base thinking on the evidence presented But also “think outside the box”
2. Clinical implications Study of diseased or damaged brains leads to
new knowledge New knowledge leads to new treatments
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Four Major Themes Continued 3. The evolutionary perspective
Consideration of environmental pressures on human evolution
May use a comparative approach
4. Neuroplasticity The brain is plastic, not static
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What Is Biopsychology?“The scientific study of the biology of
behavior (psychology)”Psychology: the scientific study of
behaviorAlso called psychobiology, behavioral
biology, behavioral neuroscienceBiopsychology emerged as a discipline
in the late 1940s4
What Is Biopsychology? Continued
Hebb (1949) proposed that psychological phenomena might be produced by brain activity
Hebb’s work helped discredit the notion that psychological functions were too complex to be derived from physiological activities
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Biopsychology and Other Disciplines of Neuroscience
Biopsychology utilizes the knowledge and tools of other disciplines of neuroscience
Each discipline studies a different aspect of the nervous system that informs our understanding of what produces and controls behavior
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Other Disciplines of Neuroscience
Neuroanatomy Structure of the nervous system
Neurochemistry Chemical bases of neural activity
Neuroendocrinology Interactions between the nervous system and
the endocrine system
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Other Disciplines of Neuroscience Continued
Neuropathology Nervous system disorders
Neuropharmacology Effects of drugs on neural activity
Neurophysiology Functions and activities of the nervous system
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Biopsychological Research
Human and nonhuman subjects
Experiments and nonexperiments
Pure and applied research
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Human and Nonhuman Subjects
Many questions about the biology of behavior are addressed using human subjects
However, much can be learned from studying the brains of other species
Species differences are often more quantitative than qualitative
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Human and Nonhuman Subjects Continued
Why use nonhumans? Simpler brains makes it more likely that brain-behavior
interactions will be revealed Comparative approach – gain insight by making
comparisons with other species Fewer ethical restrictions for nonhumans than with
humans although nonhuman research also requires extensive
ethical oversight Why use humans?
They can follow instructions They make subjective reports They are often cheaper to work with
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Experiments and Nonexperiments
Experiments involve the manipulation of variables
In nonexperiments, the researcher does not control the variables of interest Quasiexperimental studies Case studies
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Experiments and Nonexperiments Continued
Experiments involving living subjects require that subjects be placed in various conditions Between-subjects design: Different group of
subjects tested under each condition Within-subjects design: Same group of
subjects tested under each condition
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Experiments and Nonexperiments Continued
The difference between the conditions is the independent variable
The effect of the independent variable is the dependent variable
A confounded variable is a variable that affects the dependent variable but is not controlled for
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Experiments and Nonexperiments Continued
Control of confounded variables example: the Coolidge effect
Coolidge effect had been demonstrated in males—but does it occur in females? The confounded variables: A female
hamster may be more receptive to a new partner due to novelty or to his vigor (compared to the fatigued former partner)
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FIGURE 1.3 The experimental design and results of Lester and Gorzalka (1988). On the third test, the female hamsters were more sexually receptive to an unfamiliar male than they were to the male with which they had copulated on the first test.
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Quasiexperimental studies – studies of groups of subjects exposed to conditions in the real world
Not real experiments as potential confounded variables have not been controlled for
Experiments and Nonexperiments Continued
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Case studies focus on a single individual, such as Jimmie G.
Usually more in-depth than other approaches, but may not be generalizable
Often a source of a testable hypothesis Generalizability – the degree to which
results can be applied to other cases
Experiments and Nonexperiments Continued
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Pure and Applied Research
Pure research – conducted for the purpose of acquiring knowledge
Applied research – intended to bring about some direct benefit to humankind
Often research projects have elements of both
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Divisions of Biopsychology Six major divisions
Physiological psychology Psychopharmacology Neuropsychology Psychophysiology Cognitive neuroscience Comparative psychology
Each has a different approach, but there is much overlap
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Divisions of Biopsychology Continued
Physiological psychology Neural mechanisms of behavior Controlled experiments with direct manipulation of the
brain Psychopharmacology
Controlled experiments of the effects of drugs on the brain and behavior
Neuropsychology Psychological effects of brain damage in humans Usually has a clinical emphasis
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Psychophysiology Relation between physiological activity and
psychological processes Example: visual tracking is abnormal in
schizophrenics
Divisions of Biopsychology Continued
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FIGURE 1.4 Visual tracking of a pendulum by a normal control subject (top) and three schizophrenics. (Adapted from Iacono & Koenig, 1983.)
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Divisions of Biopsychology Continued
Cognitive neuroscience The neural bases of cognition Functional brain imaging is the major method of
cognitive neuroscience
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FIGURE 1.5 Functional brain imaging is the major method of cognitive neuroscience. This image—taken from the top of the head with the subject lying on her back—reveals the locations of high levels of neural activity at one level of the brain as the subject views a flashing light. The red and yellow areas indicate high levels of activity in the visual cortex at the back of the brain. (Courtesy of Todd Handy, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia.)
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Comparative psychology Comparing different species to understand
evolution, genetics, and adaptiveness of behavior Laboratory and/or ethological research
Divisions of Biopsychology Continued
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Converging Operations Example: Korsakoff’s syndrome Korsakoff’s syndrome is a condition
characterized by severe memory loss and most commonly seen in alcoholics Is Korsakoff’s the result of the toxic effects of
alcohol on the brain?
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Converging Operations Continued Jimmie G. – an alcoholic with Korsakoff’s
syndrome Korsakoff’s is also seen in malnourished persons
who had little or no alcohol Thiamine-deficient rats exhibit memory deficits Alcohol accelerates the development of brain
damage in thiamine-deficient rats
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By exploring the possible causes of Korsakoff’s using multiple approaches, or converging operations, findings are more accurate
Korsakoff’s syndrome is the result of thiamine deficiency, but the damage is accelerated by alcohol
Converging Operations Continued
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Scientific Inference
The empirical method that biopsychologists use to study the unobservable
Scientists measure what they can observe and use these measures as a basis for inferring what they can’t observe
Example: how does the brain “see” movement?
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Critical Thinking
The ability to evaluate scientific claims by identifying potential omissions or weaknesses in the evidence
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Critical Thinking Continued Case 1: Delgado claims that a charging bull
can be tamed by stimulation of its caudate nucleus Exciting account reported in popular press Many possible alternative explanations Morgan’s Canon: give precedence to the
simplest interpretation for a behavioral observation
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Critical Thinking Continued Case 2: Moniz wins Nobel Prize for prefrontal
lobotomy Adoption for human therapy based largely on
study of a single chimpanzee Inadequate postoperative evaluation of human
patients, often by the physician who prescribed the surgery
Undesirable side effects such as amorality, lack of foresight, emotional unresponsiveness, epilepsy, and urinary incontinence
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