Biopsychology

Question 1

What is the nervous system divided into?

Answer 1

The central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Question 2

What is the central nervous system made up of?

Answer 2

The brain and the spinal cord.

Question 3

What is the peripheral nervous system divided into?

Answer 3

The autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system.

Question 4

What is the autonomic nervous system made up of?

Answer 4

It is divided into 2 components: the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 5

What is the role of the nervous system?

Answer 5

To act as our primary internal communication system. Its 2 functions are to: collect, process and respond to information in the environment, and to co-ordinate the function of different organs and cells in the body. Divided into CNS and PNS.

Question 6

What is the role of the CNS?

Answer 6

To act as the origin of all complex commands and decisions. Made up of the brain and spinal cord. The brain provides conscious awareness. The spinal cord is responsible for reflex actions, eg pulling hand away from a hot plate, and transfers messages to and from the brain and rest of the body.

Question 7

What is the role of the PNS?

Answer 7

To transmit/pass messages to and from the CNS. Divided into autonomic and somatic nervous system.

Question 8

What is the role of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 8

Governs bodily functions such as breathing, heart rate, digestion and stress responses. It operates automatically to transmit information to and from internal bodily organs. Made up of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Question 9

What is the role of the somatic nervous system?

Answer 9

To control muscle movement and receive information from sensory receptors. It carries sensory information from the outside world to our brain, via our senses, and provides muscle responses, via motor pathways, allowing us to respond to the environment.

Question 10

What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system?

Answer 10

To prepare the body for the fight or flight response in dangerous situations by sending impulses to organs which cause bodily changes to occur such as increased heart rate, breathing and blood pressure and less important functions to slow down such as digestion, salivation and urination in order to prepare for danger ahead.

Question 11

What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?

Answer 11

To return the body to its normal resting state by restoring normal physiological functioning when the threat/danger has passed. Bodily changes include: slowing heart rate & breathing back down, and decreasing blood pressure, whilst speeding up digestion and salivation etc that had been slowed down by the sympathetic nervous system.

Question 12

What is the function of the endocrine system?

Answer 12

To instruct glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream which will be carried towards target organs in the body.

Question 13

What is a gland?

Answer 13

An organ in the body that produces and releases substances (such as hormones) that perform a specific function.

Question 14

What are hormones?

Answer 14

Chemical messengers that circulate in the bloodstream and only affect target organs. They have a powerful effect on processes like growth.

Question 15

What is the fight or flight response?

Answer 15

The way an individual responds when stressed or when danger is perceived. It is characterised by the body becoming physiologically aroused in readiness to fight an aggressor, or flee (flight).

Question 16

What is adrenaline?

Answer 16

A hormone produced by the adrenal gland which is part of the body’s stress response system. Has a strong effect on stimulating heart rate, contracting blood vessels and dilating air passages.

Question 17

How are the endocrine system, glands and hormones all linked?

Answer 17

The endocrine system is a network of glands that release chemical messages called hormones into the bloodstream. These affect any cell in the body that has a receptor for that hormone.

Question 18

What does the endocrine system use to transport hormones around the body to their specific target cells?

Answer 18

Blood vessels.

Question 19

What are the 5 most important glands in the endocrine system?

Answer 19

Hypothalamus, Pituitary gland, Pineal gland, Thyroid gland and Adrenal glands.

Question 20

Which gland in the endocrine system is referred to as the “master gland” and why?

Answer 20

The Pituitary gland because it controls and stimulates the release of hormones from all other glands in the endocrine system. For example, pituitary gland may send a signal to the adrenal gland to release adrenaline.

Question 21

Explain the role of the hypothalamus

Answer 21

To control/stimulate the release of hormones from the pituitary gland by sending it a signal. Therefore, it acts as a control system to regulate the whole endocrine system. It is located in the brain.

Question 22

How is the pituitary gland divided?

Answer 22

Into the anterior (front) and posterior (rear) lobes.

Question 23

What is the role of the anterior and posterior lobes in the pituitary gland?

Answer 23

Anterior lobe releases the hormone ACTH which stimulates the adrenal cortex and the release of cortisol during the stress response.
Posterior lobe releases the hormone oxytocin which is responsible for uterus contractions during childbirth.

Question 24

What is the role of the pineal gland?

Answer 24

To release the hormone melatonin which is responsible for biological rhythms such as the sleep cycle.

Question 25

What is the role of the thyroid gland?

Answer 25

To produce and release the hormone thyroxine which affects cells in the heart and is also responsible for regulating metabolism, which in turn affects growth rates.

Question 26

Explain the division of the Adrenal glands:

Answer 26

The adrenal gland is divided into the adrenal medulla (inside) and the adrenal cortex (outer layer) and these are linked to the fight or flight response. Adrenal medulla-releases the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline which play a key role in “fight or flight” preparation, e.g. by increasing heart rate. Adrenal cortex-releases cortisol which stimulates the release of glucose to provide the body with energy.

Question 27

What are the 2 most important organs in the endocrine system and their roles?

Answer 27

1. The Testes- to release androgens which contain the hormone testosterone, which is responsible for development of male sex characteristics and promoting muscle growth.
2. The Ovaries- to release the hormone oestrogen which controls the regulation of the female reproductive system, including the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

Question 28

Outline the 6 steps of how glands hormones work

Answer 28

1) Hypothalamus sends “releasing hormone” to pituitary gland as a signal.
2) This causes the Pituitary gland to secrete a “stimulating hormone” into the bloodstream.
3) This signals the target gland to release its hormone.
4) Levels of this hormone increase in the bloodstream.
5) This causes the hypothalamus to stop secreting the “releasing hormone” as it is not needed anymore.
6) Therefore, the pituitary gland also stops secreting the “stimulating hormone”.

Question 29

What does it mean to “secrete”?

Answer 29

To produce and release the amount that is needed.

Question 30

What is a stimulating hormone?

Answer 30

One that regulates the functions of the ovaries and testes.

Question 31

What is a releasing hormone?

Answer 31

A hormone that prompts the release of another hormone. Releasing hormones are sent from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary gland to control the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary.

Question 32

What 2 systems work together during the flight or flight response in a stressful situation?

Answer 32

The Endocrine System and the Autonomic Nervous System.

Question 33

What happens when a threat is perceived, e.g. a friend jumping out at you? (fight or flight response)

Answer 33

As soon as the threat is detected, the hypothalamus automatically triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the ANS, causing ANS to change from its resting (parasympathetic) state to the physiologically aroused (sympathetic) state. The physiological changes in the body (e.g. increased heart rate) are triggered by adrenaline, which is released from the adrenal medulla into the bloodstream, and they create the necessary physiological arousal for the fight or flight response.

Question 34

What happens when a threat has passed? (fight or flight response)

Answer 34

The parasympathetic branch of the ANS returns the body to its resting rate (e.g. decreases heart rate) by reducing the actions of the body that were increased by the sympathetic branch. It works in opposition to the sympathetic nervous system.

Question 35

How many hemispheres does the brain have?

Answer 35

2-left and right (left controls the right side of the body and right controls the left side of the body).

Question 36

What are the names of the 4 paired lobes in the brain?

Answer 36

1) Frontal lobe
2) Parietal lobe
3) Temporal lobe
4) Occipital lobe

*Each lobe is situated in both hemispheres of the brain.

Question 37

What separates the 2 hemispheres of the brain?

Answer 37

The Corpus Callosum.

Question 38

What is the role of the Corpus Callosum?

Answer 38

To allow the 2 hemispheres of the brain to communicate with each other and for information being processed on one side of the brain to be shared with the other side.

Question 39

What is the surface of the brain known as?

Answer 39

The cerebral cortex.

Question 40

What is the role of the frontal lobe?

Answer 40

Located in the forward part of the brain, it is responsible for reasoning, voluntary motor control, emotion, and language.

The frontal lobe contains:

• the motor cortex- responsible for planning & co-ordinating movement.
• the pre-frontal cortex- responsible for higher-level cognitive functioning.
• Broca’s area- responsible for language production.

Question 41

What is the role of the parietal lobe?

Answer 41

Located between the frontal occipital lobes, and above the temporal lobe, it is responsible for integrating information from the body’s senses to allow a coherent picture of the world around to be built.

The parietal lobes allow us to co-ordinate our movement in response to the objects in our environment through the use of vital pathways- allowing us to process what and where things are.

Question 42

What is the role of the temporal lobe?

Answer 42

Located above the temples in the head, its main functions are:

• Understanding language
• Memory- declarative & long-term
• Face & object recognition
• Perception
• Processing auditory information

The temporal lobes contain Wernicke’s area- responsible for language comprehension.

Question 43

What is the role of the occipital lobe?

Answer 43

Located at the very back of the brain, it is responsible for:

• Receiving sensory information from the retinas of the eyes, which is then categorised into different visual data, such as colour, orientation and motion.
• Assessing size, depth and distance
• Determining colour information
• Face & object recognition
• Mapping the visual world

Occipital lobes contain the visual cortex- responsible for interpreting incoming visual information.

Question 44

What is the localisation of function theory?

Answer 44

An idea proposed by Broca and Wernicke which suggests that different areas of the brain all have specific, separate physical and psychological functions and perform different tasks. The areas work independently of each other. Their theory suggests that if a certain area of the brain becomes damaged due to illness/injury, the function associated with that area will also be affected.

Question 45

What is the holistic theory?

Answer 45

The idea that all parts of the brain are involved in the processing of thought & action/general functions.

Question 46

What are the 6 areas of the brain, and which lobes are they found in?

Answer 46

1) The motor area- found in the frontal lobe.
2) The somatosensory area- found in the parietal lobe.
3) The auditory area- found in the temporal lobe.
4) The visual area- found in the occipital lobe.
5) Broca’s area- found in the LEFT frontal lobe.
6) Wernicke’s area- found in the LEFT temporal lobe.

*Each area has a different responsibility, supporting the idea of localised functions.

Question 47

What is the role of the motor area?

Answer 47

It controls voluntary movement such as facial movement, speech control and eye movement. Damage to this area may result in loss of control over fine movements.

Question 48

What is the role of the somatosensory area?

Answer 48

To process and represent sensory information from the skin (e.g. related to touch, heat, pressure etc). For example, when a hand comes into contact with extreme heat. The more sensitive a body part, e.g. hands, the greater the amount of somatosensory area devoted to it.

Question 49

What is the role of the auditory area?

Answer 49

To analyse speech-based information. Damage to this area may produce partial hearing loss.

Question 50

What is the role of the visual area?

Answer 50

To receive process visual information by allowing each eye to send information from its right visual field to the left visual area (in the left hemisphere) and from its left visual field to the right visual area (in the right hemisphere). Damage to the left or right hemisphere can produce blindness in the alternate visual fields of both eyes. - left hemisphere damage = damage to right visual field of both eyes.

Question 51

What is the role of Broca’s area?

Answer 51

Identified by Broca and responsible for speech/language production, which is a function that is restricted to the left side of the brain. Damage to Broca’s area causes Broca’s aphasia, which is characterised by speech that is slow and lacking in fluency.

Question 52

What is the role of Wernicke’s area?

Answer 52

Identified by Wernicke and responsible for language comprehension, which is a function that is restricted to the left side of the brain. Damage to Wernicke’s area causes Wernicke’s aphasia, which is characterised by struggling to comprehend/understand language but still being able to produce language that is fluent, but meaningless, including non-sense words.

Question 53

How do the functions of the 6 areas of the brain support localisation of function theory?

Answer 53

The fact that damage to one particular area can disrupt one particular function, for example damage to the auditory area can cause hearing loss, enhances the idea of functions being localised in the brain.

Question 54

EVALUATION: What is a credibility strength of the localisation of function theory?

Answer 54

-STRONG CREDIBILITY: There is evidence supporting the idea that many neurological functions are localised, particularly in relation to language and memory. Petersen et al used brain scans to demonstrate how Wernicke’s area was active during a listening task and Broca’s area was active during a reading task-suggesting that these areas of the brain have different, specialised functions (as localised theory suggests). This increases the credibility of the theory.

Question 55

EVALUATION: What is a research and validity strength of the localisation of function theory?

Answer 55

-STRONG RESEARCH AND VALIDITY: There are unique cases of neurological damage that support the localisation theory, such as the case of Phineas Gage who experienced an accident where a metal rod took out part of his brain-the left frontal lobe. Although he survived, he suffered severe brain damage and experienced changes to his personality where he was now quick-tempered and rude as opposed to being calm and reserved, suggesting that the frontal lobe was responsible for regulating mood and has a separate function to other areas of the brain and that damage to this area will disrupt its function. This supports the localisation of function theory and increases its validity. However, Phineas Gage’s case is unique and therefore lacks generalisability as the damage to his brain was caused by a rare accident rather than a disorder, making it difficult to draw conclusions.

Question 56

EVALUATION: What is a credibility weakness of the localisation of function theory?

Answer 56

-WEAK CREDIBILITY: Lashley’s research reduces the credibility of the localisation theory as it suggests that higher cognitive functions, such as the processes involved in learning, are not localised but distributed in a more holistic way across the brain. The research involved rats learning a maze. He found that no area was proven to be more important than any other in terms of the rats’ ability to learn the maze. The process of learning appeared to be too complex to be localised and confined to one particular area. Instead it appears to require the involvement of the whole brain, perceiving the localisation theory as reductionist and lacking credibility. However, Lashley’s research lacks generalisability as he only investigated rats and not humans.