bipsychology test 1

research

Three dimensions along which biopsychological research varies:

pure applied

Neuroscience

the scientific study of the nervous system

biopsychology

the scientific study of the biology of behavior

DO Hebb

Proposed that psychological phenomena might be produced by brain activity

Helped discredit the notion that psychological functions were too complex to be derived from physiological activities

subjects

Three dimensions along which biopsychological research varies:

humans nonhumans

methods

Three dimensions along which biopsychological research varies:

experiments non experiment

experiment

Used to determine cause-and-effect relationships

Between- and within-subjects designs

Independent and dependent variables

confounded variable

an unintended difference between the conditions of an experiment that could have affected the dependent variable

can be diff to elimate

can make exp diff to interpret

non experiments

quasiexperimental studies and case studies

quasiexperimental studies

studies of groups of subjects who have been exposed to the conditions of interest in the real world

not true experiments as potential confounded variables are not contolled

no random assignment

case studies

focus on a single cas or subject

usually more in depth than other app

good source of testable hypothesis

major prob is generlizability

gernalizability

degree to which results can be applied to other cases

lester and gorzalka

demonstates the coolidge effect in female hamsters

potential confounds: males become more sexual fatigued

- recep in females may be due to novelty or inc secual vigor in new mate

- controlled for fatigue w familiar males

results: On the 3rd test, female hamsters were more sexually receptive to an unfamiliar male than to the male they had already copulated with during an earlier test

pure research

conducted for the purpose of acquired knowledge

applied research

intened to bring about some firect benefit to human kind

Physiological Psychology

the study of behavior as influenced by biology

Uses direct manipulation of the brain in controlled experiments

subjects are usually lab animals

strong focus on pure research

psychopharmacology

focuses on the manipulation of neural activity and behavior with drugs

uses substantial portion of applied research

neuropsychology

studies the psychological effects of brain damage in human patients

cn be studied in humans by experimentation; focuses on case studies and quasi-experimental studies

has focused on cerebral cortex

psychophysiology

studies the relation between ohysiological activity and psychological processes (attention, emotion, info processing)

typically uses noninvasive procedures (EEG, eye tracking, muscle tension)

cognitive neuroscience

focuses on the neural bases of cognition

often employs human subjects, but sometimes non human animals

uses functional brain imaging tech as key methods

comparative psychology

compares different spp to understand evolution, genetics, and adaptiveness of behavior

uses lab and ethological research

inv areas of reaseracth that oftenn use comparative analysis

- evolutionary psychology

- behavioral genetics

converging operations

using multiple approaches to address a single question

- strengths of one approach comnpensate for the weakenesses of the other

ex korsakoffs syndrome

korsakoffs syndrome

characterized by severe memory loss

initially believed to be a direct consequence of the toxic effect of alcohol on the brain

Largely caused by brain damage associated with thiamine deficiency, although the damage is accelerated by alcohol

scientific inference

The empirical method that biopsychologists use to study the unobservable

Scientists observe & measure the consequences of unobservable processes & use these measures as a basis for inferring what they cannot observe

trex coprolites

dichotomy

Two opposite parts of one whole

- physiological/psychological

- inherited/learned

- right/wrong

cartesian dualism

Descartes's view that all of reality could ultimately be reduced to mind and matter.

universe: universe consists of two elements: physical matter & human mind (soul, self, or spirit)

human mind: mind and brain viewed as separate entities

Physical matter (body, brain, other animals)- governed by laws of nature; scientific

Mind- lacks physical substance, controls behavior, obeys no natural laws; concern of the church

watson

a behaviorist, believed that all behavior was the product of learning (nurture)

ethology

the study of animal behavior in the wild, focused on instinctive (nature) behaviors

asomatognosia

deficiency in proprioceptive selfawareness (typically involves damage to the right parietal lobe.)

genetic makeup

experience

perception of current situation

nuture now emcompasses learning and env

sev factors interact to impact env

charles darwin

English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection (1809-1882)

evolution

gradual change frequency of different genes in a population or spp over the course of generations via natural selection

natural selection

inherited trailed associated with high rates of survival and reproduction are most likely to be passes on to future generations

fitness

Ability of an organism to survive and cont its genes to the next generation

inclusive fitness

sum of the direct fitness gained by the indv investment in itsown offspring and indirect fitness gained by its effects on the reproduction of kin

fossil

common ancestors

selective breeding

darwins edvidence

________ for evolution

struct sim suggest _______ ______

impact of _________ _________

& grant finches

homind

inc great apes and humans

family

homonin

humans and immediate ancestors ancestors

tribe

inc size

most in cerebrum

inc convolutions inc cerebral cortex

evolution of human brain (3)

encephalization

the degree to which brain size exceeds body size

exaptations

characteristic that evolved to perform one fuction but later performs a different function

ex feather (temp teg --> flight)

homologous structures

similar structures due to a common evolutionary orgigin

analogous structures

similar structures w.o a common origin

alleles

two or more alternative forms of genes

diploid

two alleles per trait

mitosis

- a form of cell division that results in daughter cells that have 23 pairs of chromosomes

replication

strands unwind; each nucleotide attracts its complementary base, making two DNA molecules identical to the original

Transcription

Messenger RNA (mRNA) synthesized from DNA

Translation

Ribosome synthesizes protein according to 3 -base sequences (codons) of mRNA

promoters (enhancers)

short segments of DNA that determine whether particular structural genes initiate the synthesis of proteins & at what rate

transcription factors

proteins that bind to DNA and influence the rate to which genes will be expressed https://www.youtube.com/watch?

epigenetics

Study of mechanisms that influence expression of genes without changing genes (DNA sequence is unchanged)

changes can be passes on

histone remodeling

modifications to a histone protein (around which DNA is coiled) that can either decrease or increase gene

DNA methylation

the attachment of a methyl group to DNA (cytosine in mammals) that reduces the expression of adjacent genes

epigenetic inheritance

exp on lab rats

feed vinclozolin to pregnant rats

induced changes that can be seen in generations

behavioral development

consequence of genetic potential interacting with the experience of indv organism

- selective breeding of mazz bright and maze dull

- devel of birdsong

ontogeny

development of an indv through their lifespan

phylogeny

evolutionary development of a spp thru the ages

sensory

exposure to conspecific song leads to memories that guide song development.

sensorimotor

birds must hear themselves practice singing for songs to develop properly

adult neurogenesis

the creation of new neurons in the brain of an adult

- male canaries grow new neurons ea spring to learn new songs

phenylketonuria (PKU)

single gene metabolic disorder

Build up of phenylalanine (amino acid) in body caused by defect in gene that helps create enzyme (phenylalanine hydroxylase) needed to break down this specific amino acid.

results in intellectual disability

nervous system

A communication network consisting of nerve cells (neurons), that carry messages both to and from the brain & spinal cord to other parts of the body

• gather and process information

• produce responses to stimuli

• coordinate the workings of different cells

cns

brain and spinal cord

pns

out of skull and spine

somatic ns

interacts with external environment

voluntary control of body mvm

afferent

sensory arrive

efferent

motor exit

autonomic ns

interact w internal env

invol control of visceral functions

sympathetic parasymphathetic

two kinds of efferent nerves

sympathetic ns

thoracic and lumbar

flight or fight

second stage neurons are far from target organ

parasympathetic

cranial and sacral

rest and restore

second stage neurons are near the target organ

12

how many pairs of cranial nerves

cranial nerves

Special group of nerves in the PNS that leave CNS from the brain through skull • Have specific sensory and/or motor functions

Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)

chemical protection of the brain

tightly packed cells of blood vessel walls prevent entry of many colecules

skull

meninges

csf

physical protection of brain

dura meter

arachnoid membrane

pia meter

meninges

dura meter

the tough outermost membrane of meninges

arachnoid membrance

weblike meninges

pia mater

adheres to cns surface meninges

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

fills the subarachnoid space, the central canal of the spinal cord, and the cerebral ventricles of the brain

fluid serves as cushion

horizontal

slice parallel to the ground

frontal

slicing bread or salami

sagittal

midsagittal section separates the left and right halves

gray matter

inner component

prim cell bodies and unmyelinayed interneurons

white matter

outer area mainly myelinated axons

dorsal

afferent sensory

ventral

efferent motor

telencephalon

diencephalon

mesencephalon

metencephalon

myelencephalon

five major divisions of the brain

Telencephalon

diencephalon

major divisions of the brain

in forebrain

mesencephalon

major divisions of the brain

metencephalon

myelencephalon

major divisions of the brain of hindbrain

brain stem

regulates reflex activities that are critical for survival

cerebral hem sits on top of it

myelencephalon

divisions of the brainmedulla oblongata

composed largely of tracts that carry signals bw brain and body (auto fxn)

origin of the reticular formation'

reticular formation

Network of nuclei that play a role in arousal

metencephalon

pons

cerebellum divisions of the brain

pons

replays messages from cortex to crebellum

imp for sleeping/dreaming

cnt sev cranial nerves

cerebellum

mvm

balance

memory for simple skills & acq reflexes

decision making & understanding words

Mesencephalon

midbrain

divisions of the brain

tetum and tegmentum

tectum

inferior colliculi (auditory fxn)

superior colliculi (visual motor fnx)