Week 1 - Intro - Approaches, Perspectives & Contexts Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is meant by monism
The idea that the mind is made of the same substance as the rest of the universe.
An ontogenic explanation focuses on what
How a behaviour develops
What is an example of an evolutionary explanation (as opposed to a functional explanation)
Humans have a tiny tailbone because our ancient monkey-like ancestors had a tail.
What are reasons favouring the use of animals in biological psychology research aimed at solving human problems
The nervous system of nonhuman animals resembles that of humans in many ways
certain processes or behaviours may be more exaggerated in animals than in humans
biopsychs are interested in animals for their own sake
often educates us about human evolution
many studies can not use humans for ethical reasons
What does a minimalist favor with regard to animal research
animal research is permissible, but should be held to a minimum
Two profound difficult questions
Why does the universe exist & why does consciousness exist. These questions, may not be answerable, but they do motivate research on related topics
Perception process
- Perception occurs in your brain, not your skin,
- The current theory is that brain activity is inseparable from mental activity.
- It is important to be cautious about what is or is not an explanation of behaviour
Biological Psychologists address 4 questions about any behaviour
- How does the behaviour relate to the physiology of the brain and other organs?
- Ontogenetic - how does it develop within the individual
- Evolutionary - How did the capacity for the behaviour evolve.
Functional - why did the capacity for this behaviour evolve, as in what function does it or did it serve?
Biological Psychology
Dealing mostly with brain activity, it is the view that we think and act because of brain mechanisms. The goal is to relate biology to issues of psychology.
Dualism
The opposite to monism - it is the idea that minds are one substance and matter is a different substance.
Evolutionary Explanation/ Comparisons (between species eg human and animal)
Is a reconstruction of a structure or behaviour, which has evolved over time. Eg. - monkeys using tools, to humans using tools. Bat wings have modified arms. etc.
Functional Explanation
Why has a structure or behaviour evolved. A functional explanation, identifies the advantage of the evolving structure or behaviour.
Ontogenetic explanation
How a structure or behaviour develops - influence of genes, nutrition, experiences and interactions.
Physiological explanation
relates a behaviour to the activity of the brain and other organs. This is the machinery of the body. The physical interaction.
Mind - Brain or Mind-Body
The question of how mind relates to brain activity. Why are certain types of brain activity conscious. No current convincing explanation of why consciousness exists. Consciousness is something we experience, which is why we call for an explanation.
Somatic Interventions (approach)
Alter structure/function of the brain to examine its effects on the body.
Behavioural Interventions (approach)
manipulates the behaviour to examine its effects on the structure/function
Brain-Behaviour Correlations (approach)
how body measures vary with behavioural measures and vice versa. Leading to neural plasticity
Neural plasticity
effects at the level of the brain (neutrons, cells etc)
the higher order effects of the brain on behaviour (complex ways in which components interact)
Levels of analysis in BioPsych
Social Organ Neural Systems Brain Region Cellular Synaptic Molecular
Reductionist Approach
A simplified reduced approach/response/explanation. Easier to believe something simpler, we must be more critical as students. The brain is complex therefore the answer will always be complex. Answers need to have a range of perspectives.
Response Mechanisms
The process of responding to incoming stimuli forms a chain of events which result in the appropriate responses
Why do we study bio psych
to explore the mechanisms underlying the associations between the mind and the body
- including response mechanisms & internal environments of the body, and the interactions of these with the mind, thought processes, memory and other higher functions
modern approaches to the study of bio psych
clinical
experimental
scientific inference
