biopsyc ch 1 subdivisions of biopsyc

what are the five subdisciplies of biopsychology?

1. physiological psychology

2. psychopharmacology

3. neuropsychology

4. psychophysiology

5. comparative psychology

What is physiological psychology?

• neural mechanics

  • manipulated w controlled experiments (lab animals)

    • surgical, electrical, chemical

what is an example of a physiological psychology experiment?

Fat Rat Experiment

• probe stuck in VMH

  • stimulated: ate less

  • destroyed: no food reg. (aka fat rat)

what is psychopharmacology?

neural acts and behaviors mapinulated with drugs

• Fen-Phen Ex:

  • anoretic efficacy: decreased food consumption

  • oretic: higher food consumption

what do psychopharmacologists do?

• drug admin

• controlled experiments

• note effects of it all

what is neuropsychology?

• clinical in nature

• brain damage figured out via precise imaging

• nail gun example; alzheimer’s

what is psychophysiology?

• non invasive monitoring of psychological processes (human brain activity)

  • ex: MRI, fMRI, PET Scans, CAT Scans, EEG

  • monitor what goes on in brain when something done

what happens in the brain when cocaine is used?

• brain hyperactive w drug; body slows

• no more drug; body has to compensate

what is comparative psychology?

• evolution based on environ (animals)

  • bats and sonar (echolocation mimicked)

• birds cacheing seeds (nut storing)

  • similar genetics - adjusted to location

    • peg board example

what types of jays were in a comparative psyc study?

• clark’s nutcracker (best seed cacher)

• pinyon jay

• scrub jay

• mexican jay

birds adjusted their caching ability based on their environ

what does it usually mean when an animal’s brain and body are larger?

• more ripples - more surface area

• less ripples - less surface area