PSY 241 EXAM ONE

psychobiology exam one

explained control behavior in terms of a machine responding to enviornment - proposed the concept of spinal reflexes and their neural pathways

rene descartes

have a nonmaterial soul & body - the soul governs behavior through a point of contact

dualism

the mind is the brain: the mind is what your brain does

monism

conserved traits: shared across species; basic neural mechanism and survival behaviors

species specific traits: unique adaptations shaped by different ecological pressures

evolutionary perspective in psychobiology

detailed description of behaviors

ex: example of eating: food seeking, approach, consumption - different psychological processes and brain mechanisms

systematic approach

behavior and mental processes develop across an individual’s lifespan through interactions between biology and experience

ontogeny application of psychobiology

framework for studying behavior at multiple biological and psychological levels, from molecules to cognition, showing how lower levels support higher-level functions

levels of analysis

genes, proteins, neurotransmitters, and hormones that influence behaviors

like dopamine or gene expression

molecular level

individual neurons and glial cells; how neurons fire, communicate and change through plasticity

cellular level

networks of brain regions working together to produce behavior

like limbic system for emotion

systems level

observable actions and responses

like movement, learning and emotional reactions

behavioral level

mental processes such as perception, memory, decision-making and consciousness

cognitive level

dualism proposes that the mind and brain are separate entities, whereas monism proposes they are part of the same physical system

difference between dualism and monism

connects to brain activity (biological) with emotion/behavior (psychological)

using fMRI to see which brain areas are active when people feel fear

links to neurotransmitter (chemical) to mood/behavior

studying how serotonin levels affect depression

explores hormones (biological) influencing social behavior

investigating how oxytocin affects trust in social interactions

examines genetics (biological) and its effect on behavioral traits

twin studies comparing identical and fraternal twins to se the genetic influence on aggression

shows how physiological response relate to stress and psychological states

measuring heart rate cortisol levels in people during a stressful task

studies how biological factors influence behavior or mental processes

what makes a study psychobiology related

yes, it links brain activity to emotion/behavioral

study uses fMRI to see which brain areas are active during fear responses, is it psychobiology?

yes, neurochemicals are connected to mood/behavior

research examines how serotonine levels affect depression, psychobiology?

links biology and behavior and explains behavior as adaptive

key sign of evolutionary psychology

investigating the biological basis of behavior

psychological study

manipulating the behavioral may affect the body and/or the brain

behavioral intervention

manipulating the body and/or brain may affect behavior

somatic intervention

examining relationship between biological and behavioral variables

correlational study

the variable that is getting manipulated

independent variable

the variable that is being measured

dependent variable

altering a biological factor

somatic intervention example

the participant’s experiences

behavior intervention example

correlation does not equal causation

limitations of correlational studies