1. Introducing Biological Psychology
Chapter One
Introducing Biological Psychology

2. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCING BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY

3. Biological Psychology as an Interdisciplinary Field
“the branch of psychology that studies the biological foundation of behavior, emotions, and mental processes” – (Pickett, 2000)
Draws on techniques and theories from psychology, biology, physiology, biochemistry, the neurosciences, and related fields

4. Historical Highlights in Biological Psychology
Ancient people’s view of the nervous system
Trepanation
Egyptian medical papyrus
Ancient Greeks: Hippocrates, Aristotle, Herophilus, Galen
Descartes: Mind-body dualism
Van Leeuwenhoek
Galvani
Bell and Magendie

5. Figure 1.1 Prehistoric Brain Surgery

6. Figure 1.2 The Reflex According to Descartes

7. Figure 1.5 Phrenology Bust

8. Historical Highlights in Biological Psychology
Phrenology
Gall and Spurzheim
Structure of a person’s skull could be correlated with his or her individual personality characteristics and abilities
Historical names
Paul Broca
Carl Wernicke
Phineas Gage

11. Phineas Gage

12. Research Methods in Biological Psychology
Histology
The study of microscopic structures and tissues
Provides means for observing structure, organization, and connections of individual cells
Microtome machine and specialized stains
Autopsy
Examination of the body after death
Correlational method that must be interpreted carefully and precisely

13. Figure 1.6 Horseradish Peroxidase Provides a Method for Identifying Neural Pathways

14. Research Methods in Biological Psychology
Imaging
Can watch living brain as it behaves
Types of imaging technologies
Computerized Tomography (CT)
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Functional MRI (fMRI)

15. Figure 1.7 CT Scans

16. Figure 1.8 PET Scans Show Patterns of Brain Activation

17. Figure 1.10 fMRI Tracks Cerebral Blood Flow

18. Research Methods in Biological Psychology
Recording
Record electrical and magnetic output from the brain
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Evoked potentials
Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
Single-cell recordings

19. Figure 1.11 Hans Berger and the First EEG Recording

20. Figure 1.12 Evoked Potentials

21. Figure 1.13 Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

22. Research Methods in Biological Psychology
Brain Stimulation
Artificially stimulating areas of the brain with electricity or magnetism and watching for resulting behavior
Can be applied during neurosurgery
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
Most stimulation research has been conducted with laboratory animals
Lesion
Injury to neural tissue
Naturally occurring
Deliberately produced

23. Figure 1.14 Recording Electrodes Surgically Implanted in a Rat’s Brain

24. Figure 1.17 Lesion

25. Research Methods in Biological Psychology
Biochemical Methods
Use of chemical stimulation and microdialysis
Genetic Methods
Twin studies
Adoption studies
Studies of genetically-modified animals
Stem Cells
Undifferentiated cells that can divide and differentiate into other types of cells

26. Research Ethics
Mechanisms for protection of human participants and animal research subjects
Federal government and the Common Rule
University review and institutional review boards
Publication process and review

27. Human Participant Guidelines
Research Ethics
Human Participant Guidelines
Coercion of research participants is unacceptable
Benefits to participants should not be “excessive or inappropriate”
Participants must be informed that they can leave without penalty at any time
Participants must be told enough about the experiment to make an informed decision about participating
Participants must receive contact information in case they have questions
Participants must be assured their data will be confidential

28. Animal Subjects Guidelines
Research Ethics
Animal Subjects Guidelines
Necessity of research
Basic care and housing
Experimental procedures should cause as little pain and distress as possible
Emerging Issues in Research Ethics
Ethics of research on the internet
Ethics of stem cell research