Psychology_Biological LOA

  1. Outline principles that define the biological LOA
    Principle 1: Emotions and behavior are products of the anatomy and physiology of the nervous and endocrine systems (biological correlates of behavior)

    Principle 2: Patterns of behavior can be inherited, behavior can be innate and evolution may play a key role


    Principle 3: Animal research may inform our understanding of behavior (a significant amount of research is undertaken using animals)
  2. Discuss how and why particular research methods are used at the biological level of analysis
    Laboratory Experiments: establishes cause and effect relationships in a controlled environment - animal research (+) harm, consent, ethics, placebo, less pain awareness. (-) suffering not enough to justify, different from humans, is it able to be generalized across species.

    Case Studies: one person is studied in depth in hopes of revealing universal principles regarding naturally occurring irregularities getting detailed and descriptive information (+) mostly description and little harm (-) ethics I.e. anonymity.

    Correlation Studies: takes two or more measures and find the relationship between them. ALTHOUGH A RELATIONSHIP MAY BE ESTABLISHED CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION!!!!

    Naturalistic Observations: observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.
  3. Discuss ethical considerations related to research studies at the biological level of analysis
    May cause harm to participants therefore animals are used

    Briefing and consent might give away too much information about the study (Hawthorne and Screw You Effect)

    Placebo may occur when participants believe they are getting a treatment.

    Confidentiality may be threatened and therefore extra measures must be taken in order to keep identity safe.
  4. Explain one study related to localization of function in the brain.
    Broca: (1861) - frontal lobe, left hemisphere directs muscles involved in speaking. Studied 'Tan' in a post mortem autopsy in the brain. (Tan was one of the few sounds he could make.) Obtained evidence that damage to a specific area of the brain was responsible for the loss of ability to produce coherent speech. @ new technology allows for living observations of the brain @

    Wernicke: (1874) - left temporal lobe involved in comprehending language and expressing it (words). Noted behavior of patients and then studied patients post mortem to locate where there was brain damage.

    Phineas Gage: (1884) - case study regarding Gage as he was able to live with a rod through his frontal lobe however experienced significant personality changes and a loss of inhibitions.
  5. Examine one interaction between cognition and psychology in terms of behavior. Evaluate two relevant studies.
    * neuroplasticity: specific location of a function is not fixed for all individuals and some areas of the brain can be redistributed according to environmental demands. *

    Davidson: (2004) monks study. Using pet scans they studied meditation on love and compassion between trained monks and volunteers finding that the brain not only adapts from stimulation from the environment but also as a result of our own thoughts. @ small sample size of monks. Can it be generalized? @

    McGuire: (2004) London taxi study. Using structural MRI scans measured the hippocampus between a range of experienced London taxi drivers and healthy males who did not drive taxis. Taxi drivers had larger hippocampuses meaning that the hippocampuses were a result of intense development and use of spatial memory skills related to learning and remembering routes thru the city. @ control group was not actually a part of the experiment. Consent from them. @
  6. Discuss the use of brain imaging technologies in investigating the relationship between biological factors and behavior
    > can see where certain brain processes take place allowing for studies of localization of function in living brains <

    Electroencephalogram (EEG): electrodes are placed outside of a persons head in specific locations often using a special cap or helmet so that electrodes are fitted to standardized locations on a skull and can detect changes in electrical activity in the brain. It produces a graphical representation of the activity from each electrode. It is commonly used in sleep research. (Weakness: not sufficiently accurate for localization of function in the brain, electrodes are outside of the skull yet detect activity in the brain, vague ideas of localization but not strong enough to justify conclusions.

    Computed Topography (CT): combines computer and X-ray technology that takes photos of the brain from the top, bottom, back, and front sides of the skull and can show the brain at any depth. (Benefit: extremely useful for the structure changes - I.e. tumors or brain damage) (weakness: can only show structural image not activity)

    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): a technique that utilities magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue. The image represents a slice of brain from any angle and can be used to create a three dimensional image. (Weakness: not a natural environment for cognition so question ecological validity)

    Functional MRI (fMRI): a technique used to reveal blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. It maps the metabolic changes that indicate brain activity to provide a pictures of which part of the brain is active when certain activities are being performed or certain thoughts or emotions occur.

    Positron Emission Topography (PET): monitors glucose metabolism in the brain by being injected with a harmless dose of radioactive glucose. The scans produce colored maps of brain activity and have been used to diagnose abnormalities (I.e. tumors & Alzheimer), compare brain differences between normal and abnormal brains, compare gender differences. (Advantage: can record ongoing activity in the brain)

    • - use of colors may exaggerate the different activities of the brain.
    • - brain areas activate for different reasons
  7. Discuss two effects of the environment on physiological processes
    • Enrichment:
    • -Rozenweig (1972) - the rat study. Where some were with others and the second group were isolated. In the postmortem autopsy it was found that those in an embodiment with social interactions and toys had an increased thickness in the cortex along with a heavier frontal lobe. Meaning that the combo of social interaction and stimulation created the best conditions for developing cerebral thickness.

    • Observational Learning:
    • -mirror neurons: frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so enabling imitation, language learning and empathy.
    • -Rizzolatti (2002) - when a monkey is observing a task i.e. grasping, holding, or tearing, neurons fire and when they are also performing that task. When one monkey sees the neurons will mirror what another person does. (Monkey see monkey do)
    • - Lacoboni (2004) - do emotions carry across space. will it be the same in humans as monkeys. Looking at a happy face, when you imitate the face and when you look at the face are the same areas of the brain activated. Using an fMRI it was found that the same area was activated and that the limbic system was also activated so when you see a happy face your pleasure centers in the brain are also activated.
Author
superhero
ID
150808
Card Set
Psychology_Biological LOA
Description
IB Psychology: Biological Level of Analysis
Updated