The Evolutionary Perspective

How Do Biopsychologists Work Together?

Clinical Implications

Scientists look at the effects of processes

What are the “Biopsychological Claims” specifically their cases?

helped disprove the idea that psychological functions are too complex to arise from physiological activities

– Study of diseased or damaged brains leads to new knowledge. – New knowledge leads to new treatments.

- Base thinking on the evidence presented. – But also “think outside the box.”

______ for performing prefrontal lobotomy

trying to understand biological phenomena by comparing them in different species

•Newest division •Focus: Neural basis of cognitive processes •Use noninvasive, functional brain imaging is the major method •Often collaborative between varied scientists

1949 book, *The Organization of Behavior*, was important in the development of biopsychology

Neuropsychology

Regions Affected by Prefrontal Lobotomy are?

Yes or No question: Case 2: Prefrontal Lobotomy; Undesirable side effects

Neuropathology

Korsakoff’s syndrome

Pure research

•Uses noninvasive recordings from humans – Muscle tension – Eye movement – Pupil dilation – Electrical conductance of the skin – Example: Visual tracking is abnormal in schizophrenics

Quasiexperiments

proposed that psychological phenomena, such as perceptions, emotions, thoughts, and memories, might be produced by brain activity

What you manipulate

-Delgado claimed that a charging bull can be tamed by means of stimulation of its caudate nucleus. -Suggested it might cure psychopaths

Scientific Inference

-Use basic research to answer specific problems –Intended to bring about some direct benefit to humankind

-Curiosity of the researcher –Conducted for the purpose of acquiring knowledge –Focus on basic concepts

-empirical method that Biopsychologists use to study the unobservable -Scientists measure what they can observe and use these measures as a basis for inferring what they can’t observe -Scientists look at the effects of processes

What you count

“Experiments”

What Types of Research Characterize the Biopsychological Approach? (Biopsychological Research)

a different group of subjects is tested under each condition

Neuroendocrinology

Psychophysiology

•Neural mechanisms of behavior •Controlled experiments with direct manipulation of the brain •Mostly lab animals •Focus on pure research

ethological studies

What is Biopsychology?

D. O. Hebb’s

What is an example of “Converging Operations?”

Other Disciplines of Neuroscience are:

Neuropharmacology

______ wins Nobel Prize for prefrontal lobotomy

Focuses on the biology of behavior

Thinking Creatively about Biopsychology

Advantages of Nonhuman Subjects are:

Neuroplasticity

Psychopharmacology

–Used when conditions are rare, such as Jimmie G. –Single-subject design –Usually more in-depth than other approaches, but may not be generalizable –Often a source of a testable hypothesis

Advantages of Humans (research)

Comparative Psychology

Major Divisions of Biopsychology

true or false question: Case 2:Prefrontal Lobotomy; with adequate postoperative evaluation of human patients, often by the physician who prescribed the surgery.

•Manipulation of nervous system pharmacologically •Focuses on drug effects on behavior •Drug effects change neural activity •Conduct both pure and applied questions

Focus: Neural basis of cognitive processes – Learning/memory – Attention – Perceptual processes

Case Studies

The brain is plastic, not static

empirical method that Biopsychologists use to study the unobservable

_Using Multiple approaches to address a single question –Each compensates for the shortcomings of others

Yes or No question: *does Alcohol accelerates the development of brain damage in thiamine-deficient rats?

Comparative Approach

to test the same group of subjects under each condition

Four Major Themes of Biopsychology

Physiological Psychology

-Neuroanatomy -Neurochemistry -Neuroendocrinology -Neuropathology -Neuropharmacology -Neurophysiology

–Physiological psychology –Psychopharmacology –Neuropsychology –Psychophysiology –Cognitive neuroscience –Comparative psychology

-Real world, confounded variables –Used when controlled experiments are impossible –Self-selected subjects –Key Problem-Can’t control confounds

May use a comparative approach

Neurochemistry

The red and yellow areas indicate _______ in the _______ at the _______ of the brain

what is an example of “Scientific Inference?”

The prefrontal lobotomy procedure developed by ____&____

–Used for cause and effect relationships –Between subjects design- Different groups –Within subjects design –Independent variables- What you manipulate –Dependent variables- What you count –Confounded variables- affects the dependent variable but is not controlled for.

•Focuses on the biology of behavior •Comparing different species to understand genetics, & adaptiveness of behavior •Features comparative and functional approaches •Features laboratory and ethological studies- study of animals in their normal environment

Converging Operations

•Relation between physiological activity and psychological processes •Uses noninvasive recordings from humans – Muscle tension – Eye movement – Pupil dilation – Electrical conductance of the skin – Example: Visual tracking is abnormal in schizophrenics

Cognitive Neuroscience

Applied Research

Neurophysiology

____ claimed that a charging bull can be tamed by means of stimulation of its ______

is a condition characterized by severe memory loss & most commonly seen in alcoholics

true or false question: *research projects have no elements of both “Pure and Applied Research”

Neuroanatomy

affects the dependent variable but is not controlled for.

- Adoption for human therapy based largely on study of a single chimpanzee - Following reports of success, lobotomy freely used in human

•Focuses on behavioral effects of brain damage •Uses case studies and quasiexperimental designs •Applied research

true or false question: -QUASIEXPERIMENTAL STUDIES are NOT true experiments because potential confounded variables have not been controlled?

Two common types of nonexperimental studies are: