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PSYCHOLOGY
DEFINING BIOLOGICAL
PSYCHOLOGY
Physiological Aspects
Physiological aspects emphasise the
function of the brain and the rest of the
nervous system in activities such as
thinking, learning, feeling, sensing and
perceiving which are recognised
characteristics of humans and animals.
For example, how do prescribed drugs
for treating depression affect behaviour
through their interaction with the nervous
system?
Genetic Aspects
Genetic aspects rely on the
transmission of traits from parents to
offspring through genes, and the
functional units of hereditary material
that are found in all living cells.
For example, we may want to know
whether high intelligence is inherited
from one generation to the next.
The firing of the neuron is based on an all-ornone law where messages are sent out when
triggered, otherwise the neuron remains in a
resting state. During the resting state, there is
more negative electrical charge (about
70milivolts) in the neuron. When messages arrive
at any given neuron, the positive charged ions
are allowed to enter the neuron and change the
charge status of the neuron.
When a certain level of charge ion is reached, the
neuron produces action potential. Action potential
is an electric nerve impulse that travels through a
neuron when it is set off by a trigger, changing the
cells charge from negative to positive. The
impulse will travel down on the axon and gets
released by the terminal button.
Types of neurotransmitters
Excitatory Message
These neurotransmitters promote the
development of action potential and the firing of
the neuron.
Inhibitory Message
These neurotransmitters produce chemical
information that decreases the likelihood of the
development of action potential or firing of the
neuron.
Both types of neurotransmitters can be accepted
at the site simultaneously, thus if there are more
excitatory messages than inhibitory ones, the
neuron will fire. In contrast, if there are more
inhibitory messages than excitatory ones, the
neuron will remain at its resting state. These
processes take just several milliseconds.
spinal cord,
Peripheral Nervous
System
Somatic Nervous System
Parasympathetic Nervous
System
Cerebellum
The cerebellum is smaller than the cerebrum at
1/8 of its size. It is involved in the coordination of
voluntary motor movement, balance and
equilibrium and muscle tone. It is located towards
the back of the brain and just above the brain
stem.
Brain stem
The brain stem sits beneath the cerebrum and in
front of the cerebellum. It plays a vital role in
basic attention, arousal and consciousness. All
information to and from our body passes through
the brain stem on the way to or from the brain.
Forebrain
Forebrain
Forebrain-Thalamus
Forebrain-Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is an
important control centre for the
sex drive, pleasure, pain,
hunger, thirst, blood pressure,
body temperature and other
visceral functions
Midbrain
The midbrain is the smallest division and
it makes connections with the other two
divisions and alerts the forebrain to
incoming sensations.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain is made up of the
cerebellum, pons and medulla. It is
involved in sleeping, waking, body
movements and the control of vital
reflexes such as the heart rate and blood
pressure.
The Differences
Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters: the release is cell
to cell
EndocrineHormones:
released into the blood stream.
These hormones regulate the body's
growth, metabolism (the physical
and chemical processes of the
body), and sexual development and
function.
GENETIC -Psychological
Explanation at the Gene
Level
Chromosomes
Homozygous
Heterozygous
Heterozygous means the two
alleles for a gene are different. It
means that you have different
alleles for a trait (like one
dominant allele from your father
and one recessive allele from
your mother for a certain trait).
Example: Bb.
Types of Genes
Dominant genes
(Gene that affects the childs trait)
One parent has a single, faulty
dominant gene (D), which
overpowers its normal counterpart
(d), affecting that parent. When the
affected parent mates with an
unaffected and non-carrier mate
(dd), the offspring are either affected
or not affected, but they are not
carriers.
Recessive genes
(Can only affect the childs trait if
both genes are recessive)
Both parents carry a normal
gene (N), and a faulty, recessive
gene (n). The parents, although
carriers, are unaffected by the
faulty gene. Their offspring are
either affected, not affected, or
carriers.
Direct Influence
Generally, a single gene has almost complete
control of the outcome. Our environment has
almost no effect. Examples of this include eye
colour, hair texture and skin colour.
Indirect Influence
No one gene has control of the outcome. Rather,
the genes can influence a behaviour by
influencing other characteristics that are
associated or opposite to it. For example; a gene
that makes you inattentive and restless will
interfere with behaviours that involve sitting for
long periods such as attending a lecture.