Biological Psychologists
A link between our behavior(Psychological processes) and biological structures.
Key areas of biological psychologist study
Nervous system-Endocrine system-Heredity
Heredity-
effect the way we look and act
Endocrine system
Secretion of hormones
Nervous system
Brain and tracks of all the nerves
Nervouse system
Regulates internal functions and how we relate the external world. When we learn new information.
Two areas of the nervouse system
Central & Peripheral
Centeral
Brain and spinal cord
Peripheral
made up of nerve cells that send messages between the centeral nervouse system and all areas of the body.
Neurons
send messages and communicate with each other
Cell Body
produces energy that fuels cells activity
Dendrites
thin fibers that receive the message from other neurons and send the message to the cell body
Axons
do the same as a dendrite in a different direction. There are less Axons. They carry the message away from the cell body.
Myelin
helps speed up the transmission of the message
Heath
protective barrier around the axon
Axon Terminals
at the end of the axon
Synapse
a bridge between two neurons
Types of Neurons
Sensory & Motor
Sensory Neurons
are nerve cells that carry information recieved by the senses to the centeral nervouse system.
Motor Neurons
carries information from the centeral nervouse system to the muscles, glands, and influence their functions
Types of Neurotransmitters
Acetylocholine, Dopamine, Serotonin, Noradenaline
Acetylocholine
involved in the control of muscles
Dopamine
Motor Behavior (Parkinson's disease)
Serotonin
Emotional arousal
Noradenaline
preparing the body for action
Centeral Nervous system
made up of meurons of the spinal cord and the brain
Spinal reflexes
automatic response to something. ex. removing your hand from a hot stove
Peripheral Nervouse system
outside the centeral nervouse system. It transfers messages from centeral nwevouse system to extremities of the body.
Two divisions of the Peripheral system
Somatic & Automatic
Somatic
Transmits sensory messages to the centeral nervouse system
Automatic
Occurring involuntarily-regulates the bodies bital functions such as heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and blood presure.
Autonomic Nervouse System
Sympathetic & Parasympathetic
Symathetic
ACTIVATED energy reserve after an action has occured
Parasympathetic
RESTORES energy reserve after an action has occured
Brian
the control center
Three areas of the brain
Hindbrain, Mid-brain, and forebrain
Hindbrain
Medulla, Pons, and Cerebellum
Medulla
controls heartbeat, blood presure, and breathing
Pons
In front of the medulla. Body movement, attention, sleep, and alertness.
Cerbellum
"little brain" Balance and coordination
Mid-brain
Vision and hearing
Apart of the mid-brain Reticular Activation System
Attention, sleep, and arousal- makes people alert
(Sorts out noises rather than alerting you to all of them.)
Forebrain
Thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum
Thalmus
relay station for sensory information. It takes messages from the eyes, pain sensations from a pinched finger, or a loud bang when a firecracker goes off.
Hypothalamus
Below the thalmus. Regulates body temp., storage of mutrients, motivation, and emotion
Limbic system
Memory, emotion, hunger, sex, and aggression
Cerebral Cortex
composed of two sides- left and right hemisphere
Corbus callosum
is what commects the two sides
Four sides of the Cerbeal cortex
Frontal lobe, parietal lobe, teporal lobe, and occipital lobe
Frontal lobe
helps us move our body
Parietal lobe
skin senses-cold, touch, pain
Temporal lobe
Hearing and auditory
Occipital lobe
Visual
Association areas
areas that put all the different forms of stimulus together. (3-D objects)
Language functions
most ofger in the left hemisphere for most people, even left handed people
Broca's area-frontal lobe
controls areas of the fave used for speaking
Wernicke's area-teporal lobe
pieces together sounds and sights. Damage to this area may make it difficulty to understand what someone is saying
Right and left brain
Right brain-associated with logic, problem solving and mathematical computation (Logical)
Left brain-more concered with imagination, art feelings, and special relations. (Creative)
The corpus callosum is cut to work on such things as severe epilepsy.
After this type operation the two hemispheres can no longer communicate and thus it is earier for psychologists to study their serparate operations or tasks.