Psych Bio Approach Paper 1 Sec 1A Questionbank

Describe the use of animal research in the study of human behavior with reference to one example.

Ex: Researchers inject with beta blockers to reduce effect of adrenaline and memory formation

Ev: Shows how animal models are used to study behavior by observing changes in bio/environmental conditions are associated with changes in behavior

Explain the use of animal research in the study of human behavior with reference to one example.

Ex: Weaver et al (2004), aimed to see how maternal care affects gene expression thru rats

Found that babies with high care mother had better stress response vice versa

Ev: Shows how studies with animal models can be applied to humans, cause same concept is true for humans

Describe/Explain one ethical consideration in the use of animals in research with reference to one example.

I: Animals cant consent

Ex: Responsibility lies in researcher to do cost benefit analysis

Albert et al (1986) investigated effect of testosterone in rats, castrated rats, allowed them to see changes in aggression was due to hormones.

Ev: Found that aggression decreased after castration and returned after testosterone returned

Castrating caused lots of pain, shows the issue of harm to animals, was it really worth the harm?

Describe in biological reductionism, with reference to one example.

I: refers to the perspective of breaking down a complex behavior, and attributing that behavior to simply the biological approach.

contrasted to a holistic approach which would look at other factors such as sociocultural or cognitive factors in conjunction

Ex: Baumgartner et al (2008), used reductionist approach to study how oxytocin impacts social risk taking

Was a controlled experiment and manipulated only one variable and observed only one behavior

Ev: IV was oxytocin/placebo spray, DV was occurrence of social risk taking.

Bio reductionism allowed this study to be controlled, increasing internal validity

Explain in biological reductionism, with reference to one example.

I: refers to the perspective of breaking down a complex behavior, and attributing that behavior to simply the biological approach.

contrasted to a holistic approach which would look at other factors such as sociocultural or cognitive factors in conjunction

Ex: Albert et al (1986) investigated effect of testosterone in rats, castrated rats, allowed them to see changes in aggression was due to hormones.

Attributed the increase of aggression to increase of testosterone

Ev: Only looked at causal relationship between testosterone and aggression, used bio reductionism to view behavior.

Describe the use of one brain imaging technique in the study of behavior with reference to one example? 

I: fMRI measures brain function when performing a task due to blood oxygenation levels in the brain

fmRI shows localization of function, linking specific brain areas to behaviors.

Ex: People who are in love will see more activation in the areas of their brains, such as the Ventral Tegmental Area, thata are associated with dopamine whenever they see their lover

Ev: Shows that romantic love is linked to reward pathways in brain

Explain the use of one brain imaging technique in the study of behavior with reference to one example? 

I: I: fMRI measures brain function when performing a task due to blood oxygenation levels in the brain

fmRI shows localization of function, linking specific brain areas to behaviors.

Ex: Harris and Fiske (2006) wanted to measure how our brains reacted to excluded groups, like homeless

Measured using fMRI, showed that seeing these groups activated insula (disgust)

Medial prefrontal cortex (empathy) was not activated

Ev: Shows how human brains do not process homeless people as fully humans. Reflects on behavior towards homeless

Describe/Explain the role of one chemical messenger in human behavior; 

I: molecules that are produced by cells that travel to another cell to transmit a signal and trigger a response

Oxytocin, is a chemical messenger that plays a role in social risk taking

both neurotransmitter and chemical messenger

Ex: Baumgartner et al (2008) studied how people with increased oxytocin were more trusting

Ev: shows the role that oxytocin has in overall trust and social risk taking

Describe/Explain the Diathesis Stress Model with reference to one example.

I: DSM is a psychological theory that argues that both genetic makeup and the environment play a role in activating psychological disorders (stressors)

If u have genetic predisposition to depression and are exposed to certain stimuli, you have higher risk to depression.

Describe one example of how behaviour may be the result of genetic inheritance.

I: behavior = observable actions and responses produced,

genetic inheritance - biological process which genes are transmitted

Ex: Caspi et al (2003), studied the relationship between the 5-HTT gene and depression

Ppl who inherited short allele of this gene were more likely to develop after stressful life events

Ev: Shows how inheritance can shape mental wellbeing which in turn will affect behavior

Describe/Explain localization of function with reference to one example of behavior or cognition.

Ex: Broca revolutionized this idea due to discovering Broca’s area (left frontal lobe), related to the brain’s speech production.

He discovered this due to a patient he had who could only say the word tan, but understood other words.

Ev: shows how areas of brain is related to speech production

Describe/Explain neurotransmission with reference to one example of its role in human behavior.

I: process where neurons communicate thru electrical and chemical signals.

Action potential triggers release of neurotransmitters into synapse where they bind to post synaptic neurons to be excited or inhibited before being reuptaken or break down

Ex: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter related to mood and sleep wjhich promotes calm, focus, and emotional stability.

A person with low serotonin levels can lead to depression, increased anxiety, and difficulty making decision. This can lead them to react more impulsively in social situations.

Ev: this shows how neurotransmission thru neurotransmitters can directly influence beavhior by regulating mood

Describe neuroplasticity with reference to one example of its role in human behaviour.

I: process where brain gains and loses neural pathways to improve brain efficiency and strengthen new connections.

ex: instrument, if you dont use it lose it, neural pruning

Ev: shows how neural pathways and muscle memory changes over time in response to environment, and situation

Explain neuroplasticity with reference to one example of its role in human behaviour.

Ex: Maguire et al (2000), london taxi drivers had a larger posterior hippocampus die to their navigational familiarity of the streets of london

longer they drove = bigger hippocampus

Ev: shows how neurplasticity physically shapes the brain, if they stopped driving for long time, brain would prune away this knowledge

Neuroplasticity allows humans to adapt to new scenarios and prioritize only relevant info, gives us control over our behavior and how it changes