chapters 1& 2 biopsychology as a neuroscience
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What Is Biopsychology,Anyway? This multimedia product and its contents are
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Chapters 1& 2Biopsychology as a Neuroscience
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What Is Biopsychology? “The scientific study of the biology of
behavior” Also called psychobiology,
behavioral biology, behavioralneuroscience
Psychology: the scientific study ofbehavior
`
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Biopsychology and OtherDisciplines of Neuroscience Knowledge from other disciplines of
neuroscience is applied to the study ofbehavior
Each discipline studies a differentaspect of the nervous system thatinforms our understanding of whatproduces and controls behavior
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Other Disciplines ofNeuroscience Neuroanatomy
Structure of the nervous system Neurochemistry
Chemical bases of neural activity Neuroendocrinology
Interactions between the nervous systemand the endocrine system
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Other Disciplines ofNeuroscience (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:Three Major Dimensions Human and nonhuman
subjects Experiments and
nonexperiments Pure and applied research
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Human and NonhumanSubjects While some questions about behavior
can only be addressed using humansubjects, much can be learned fromstudying the brains of other species
Species differences are morequantitative than qualitative
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Human and NonhumanSubjects (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 than with humans
Why use humans? They can follow instructions They can report their introspections They’re cheaper
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Experiments andNonexperiments 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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Pure and Applied Research Pure research – conducted for the
purpose of acquiring knowledge Applied research – intended to bring
about some direct benefit to humankind Some research projects may 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 ismuch overlap
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` There is a tendency to think in simple
dichotomies when explaining behavior: Is it physiological or psychological? Is it inherited or is it learned?
Both questions are common, yetmisguided
From Dichotomies toRelations and Interactions
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Cartesian dualism: Descartes arguedthat the universe consists of twoelements Physical matter Human mind (soul, self, or spirit)
Cartesian dualism views the mind andbrain as separate entities
Is It Physiological orPsychological?
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Is It Inherited or Is It Learned? The “nature-nurture” issue Watson, father of behaviorism, believed
that all behavior was the product oflearning (nurture)
Ethology, the study of animal behaviorin the wild, focused on instinctivebehaviors, emphasizing nature
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Problem 1: Brain damage
has an impact on psycho-logical functioning—OliverSacks’s case study of aman with asomatognosia
Deficiency in awareness ofparts of one’s own body
Due to damage to the rightparietal lobe
Problems of Traditional Dicho-tomies: Mind-Brain Dualism
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Problem 2: Chimps show psycho-logical (i.e., “human”) abilities—Gallup’s research on chimp self-awareness Chimps spontaneously groom themselves
in mirror Chimps examine and touch red mark on
their own face seen in mirror
Problems of Traditional Dichotomies: Mind-Brain Dualism
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Many factors have an impact on behavior otherthan genetics (nature) or learning (nurture)
“Nurture” now encompasses learning andenvironment
While it is generally accepted that behavior is aproduct of nature and nurture, many still ask howmuch is determined by each, but genetic andexperiential factors do not merely combine in anadditive fashion
Problems of TraditionalDichotomies: Nature-or-Nurture