Mind, Brain and Behaviour Revision
BIOLOGICAL
1. Introductory topics
Learning Objectives
• Develop a broad understanding of the main theoretical approaches and explanations
used in biological and cognitive psychology
• Develop a breadth of knowledge and understanding of key methodological approaches
in biological and cognitive psychology, including through the use of specialist
equipment and software
• Develop a breadth of knowledge and understanding of key theories and research
findings that contribute to current understanding in different areas of biological and
cognitive psychology
What is biopsychology?
• Bio-psychologists seek explanations of behaviour in terms of physiology/biology
• Most important structure controlling behaviour is the brain
• Biopsychology is the study of the brain (nervous system) and how it causes or relates to
behaviour
• Dedicated to improving human life
Biopsychology-didn’t develop into a major neuro scientific discipline until the 20 th century-
publication of the organisation of behaviour-1949-Donald Hebb-important role
Developed first comprehensive theory if how complex psychological phenomena-perceptions-
emotions-thoughts-memories-might be produced by brain activity
Ancient historical beginnings
Egyptians (1300 BC)-Brain discarded
Ancient Greeks-Heart vs Brain
-Plato (429-348 BC)-Brain
Proposed that the brain was the organ of reasoning-others disagreed
-Aristotle (384-322 BC)-Heart
Pupil of Plato-believed that the heart served this function of reasoning and that the brain merely
served to cool the blood
-Hippocrates (460-347 BC):
“Not only our pleasure, our joys and our laughter but also our sorrow, pain, grief and tears rise from
the brain and the brain alone. With it we think and understand, see and hear, and we discriminate
between the ugly and the beautiful, between what is pleasant and what is unpleasant and between
good and evil.’
*Most of the ancient world-human body scared-though Greeks aware of the basic shape of the
brian-mainly through animal dissection and of its ventricles-series of connected fluid filled cavities
that could be seen when brain was sliced open
From reading
• Psychology derives from Greek work –‘psyche’ meaning mind and ‘logos’ meaning
reasoning-thus reasoning (or study) of the mind
, Mind, Brain and Behaviour Revision
• Study of psychology first emerged in the 18th century-branch of philosophy-concerned with
explaining the processes of thought-technique of introspection-problem-subjective
• Due to this more experimental approach to psychology began to emerge In the late 19th
century that focused on mental phenomena and behaviour that could be observed and
measured
• Now describe psychology as the scientific or experimental study of behaviour and mental
life
• Biological psychology is therefore the study of the brain and how it causes or relates to
behaviour
• 2 areas relevant to the biological psychologist-Neuroanatomy: study of how the various
parts of the brain are connected and Neurophysiology:study of how neurons work
• However last few decades the study of brain function has expanded greatly
Galen (130-200 AD)
*Galen developed a theory of personality based on his understanding of fluid circulation in
humans, and he believed that there was a physiological basis for mental disorders.
Believed that the heart was the crucial organ of the body-because it contained the vital spirit that
gave spark of life to person-seen as providing the ‘substance’ of the mind
Galen knew that brain had four main ventricles-first 2-lateral ventricles form a symmetrical pair
inside the cerebral cortex-which then feed into the third ventricle located in the mid part of the
brain that joins with the fourth ventricle
• Fluid filled ventricles in the brain formed basis of theories explaining how the brain worked
• First attempt to localise brain function
• Nemesius (follower of Galen and extended his theory)suggested different functions for
different brain regions:
-Lateral ventricles 1 and 2 :sensory and mental impressions
-Ventricle 3:Reasoning
-Ventricle 4:Memory
*This theory remained unchallenged for nearly 1500 years-until Vesalius showed that the human
brain does not actually contain a ‘rete mirabile(wonderful net)-seems that Galen who had not been
allowed to perform human dissection in Rome had inferred its human
existence by observing it in animals
Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564)
• Responsible for early drawings of brain which gave more
insight into the brain
• Early drawings of the brain showing outer layer of brain called
the cerebral cortex with it’s two hemispheres (right and left) and
the corpus callosum
Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
French philosopher-responsible for the demise of the intellectual assumptions of the Middle Ages
and helped-new age of reasons
Importance-lied in attempt at resolving the mind-body problem-believed as did Plato mind and
body were different entities (dualism)-with the body composed of physical matter and the mind or
soul being non physical and independent of the material world
, Mind, Brain and Behaviour Revision
• Mind - unitary, like non-material spirit
• Body – like a hydraulic machine made of physical matter
Mind and body are separate entities but they interact in the pineal gland to create our
psychological experiences and behaviour- DUALISM
*problems with this position-however lies in trying to explain how non-material mind can control
the physical workings of the body-in his attempt to provide an answer-Descartes proposed the
pineal gland to be the site where mind and body interacted
*Chose the pineal gland since it was a single structure in the brain and because in his view-soul
had to be a single invisible entity
*Despite this-realised that a great deal of behaviour was mechansical and didn’t require mental
intervention-developed the concept of the automatic reflex
-Prior to Descartes-generally been accepted that the soul controlled all the actions of the human
body-but he showed that the human body worked according to mechanical principles
His theory was to help lay the foundations for the modern development of physiology and
psychology-although it continued to be a dualist theory of the mind-helped shift the focus more on
to the problem of how reflexes may operate in human behaviour and mental processing without
fear of contradicting religious dogma-also encouraged others to speculate more deeply on the
localisation of different functions in the brain
Biopsychology-Monism/Interactionism
Modern day biopsychologists reject Descartes theory of dualism-first to begin the focus of the
investigation on how the body interacts with the structure of the mind
Today Bio-Psychologists believe:
mind + body = one & the same - MONISM.
• Every thought, feeling and behaviour can be explained by a physical or neural basis in the
brain.
• Mind is the product of brain’s activity.
• Not forgetting the importance of the social environment in which we live -
INTERACTIONISM.
Biological psychology: relational to other scientific disciplines
Biopsychology-integrative discipline-biopsychologists draw knowledge from other neuroscientific
disciplines and apply it to the study of behavipir
Divisions of biopsychology:
, Mind, Brain and Behaviour Revision
Physiological psychology
• Division of biopsychology that studies the neural mechanisms of behaviour through the
direct manipulation and recording of the brain in controlled experiments-surgical and
electrical methods-most common
• Interested in what areas of the brain are involved in different behaviours
• Invasive so majority of research utilises animal subjects
Methodology: Causal
• Lesions - Destroying parts of the brain permanently or temporarily
• Electrodes-electrical current destroys tissue
• Cannulae-chemical delivered destroys area permanently/ temporarily
• Stimulation - Stimulating the brain electrically or chemically
• Subjects-always laboratory animals-focus on direct brain manipulation
*Pure research in PP-emphasis is usually on rs that contributes to the development of theories of
the neural control of behaviour rather than on rs of immediate practical benefit
Psychopharmacology
• Similar to physiological but focuses on the manipulation of neural activity and behaviour
with drugs
• Investigates the effects of drugs on behaviour
• Normally psychoactive drugs-affect mental functioning
• Also interested In the nerual mechanisms by which the drug effects behaviour
Methodology:
• Majority of research utilises animal subjects - e.g. administer a drug in a particular area of
the brain and observe the effect on levels of exploratory behaviour.
• The therapeutic value can only however be established by examining the drugs effects in
humans.
Neuropsychology
• Neuropsychology is the study of the psychological effects of brain dysfunction in human
patients
• Because human volunteers cannot ethically be exposed to experimetnal treatments that
endanger normla brain function-neuropsychology deals almost exclusively with case
BIOLOGICAL
1. Introductory topics
Learning Objectives
• Develop a broad understanding of the main theoretical approaches and explanations
used in biological and cognitive psychology
• Develop a breadth of knowledge and understanding of key methodological approaches
in biological and cognitive psychology, including through the use of specialist
equipment and software
• Develop a breadth of knowledge and understanding of key theories and research
findings that contribute to current understanding in different areas of biological and
cognitive psychology
What is biopsychology?
• Bio-psychologists seek explanations of behaviour in terms of physiology/biology
• Most important structure controlling behaviour is the brain
• Biopsychology is the study of the brain (nervous system) and how it causes or relates to
behaviour
• Dedicated to improving human life
Biopsychology-didn’t develop into a major neuro scientific discipline until the 20 th century-
publication of the organisation of behaviour-1949-Donald Hebb-important role
Developed first comprehensive theory if how complex psychological phenomena-perceptions-
emotions-thoughts-memories-might be produced by brain activity
Ancient historical beginnings
Egyptians (1300 BC)-Brain discarded
Ancient Greeks-Heart vs Brain
-Plato (429-348 BC)-Brain
Proposed that the brain was the organ of reasoning-others disagreed
-Aristotle (384-322 BC)-Heart
Pupil of Plato-believed that the heart served this function of reasoning and that the brain merely
served to cool the blood
-Hippocrates (460-347 BC):
“Not only our pleasure, our joys and our laughter but also our sorrow, pain, grief and tears rise from
the brain and the brain alone. With it we think and understand, see and hear, and we discriminate
between the ugly and the beautiful, between what is pleasant and what is unpleasant and between
good and evil.’
*Most of the ancient world-human body scared-though Greeks aware of the basic shape of the
brian-mainly through animal dissection and of its ventricles-series of connected fluid filled cavities
that could be seen when brain was sliced open
From reading
• Psychology derives from Greek work –‘psyche’ meaning mind and ‘logos’ meaning
reasoning-thus reasoning (or study) of the mind
, Mind, Brain and Behaviour Revision
• Study of psychology first emerged in the 18th century-branch of philosophy-concerned with
explaining the processes of thought-technique of introspection-problem-subjective
• Due to this more experimental approach to psychology began to emerge In the late 19th
century that focused on mental phenomena and behaviour that could be observed and
measured
• Now describe psychology as the scientific or experimental study of behaviour and mental
life
• Biological psychology is therefore the study of the brain and how it causes or relates to
behaviour
• 2 areas relevant to the biological psychologist-Neuroanatomy: study of how the various
parts of the brain are connected and Neurophysiology:study of how neurons work
• However last few decades the study of brain function has expanded greatly
Galen (130-200 AD)
*Galen developed a theory of personality based on his understanding of fluid circulation in
humans, and he believed that there was a physiological basis for mental disorders.
Believed that the heart was the crucial organ of the body-because it contained the vital spirit that
gave spark of life to person-seen as providing the ‘substance’ of the mind
Galen knew that brain had four main ventricles-first 2-lateral ventricles form a symmetrical pair
inside the cerebral cortex-which then feed into the third ventricle located in the mid part of the
brain that joins with the fourth ventricle
• Fluid filled ventricles in the brain formed basis of theories explaining how the brain worked
• First attempt to localise brain function
• Nemesius (follower of Galen and extended his theory)suggested different functions for
different brain regions:
-Lateral ventricles 1 and 2 :sensory and mental impressions
-Ventricle 3:Reasoning
-Ventricle 4:Memory
*This theory remained unchallenged for nearly 1500 years-until Vesalius showed that the human
brain does not actually contain a ‘rete mirabile(wonderful net)-seems that Galen who had not been
allowed to perform human dissection in Rome had inferred its human
existence by observing it in animals
Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564)
• Responsible for early drawings of brain which gave more
insight into the brain
• Early drawings of the brain showing outer layer of brain called
the cerebral cortex with it’s two hemispheres (right and left) and
the corpus callosum
Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
French philosopher-responsible for the demise of the intellectual assumptions of the Middle Ages
and helped-new age of reasons
Importance-lied in attempt at resolving the mind-body problem-believed as did Plato mind and
body were different entities (dualism)-with the body composed of physical matter and the mind or
soul being non physical and independent of the material world
, Mind, Brain and Behaviour Revision
• Mind - unitary, like non-material spirit
• Body – like a hydraulic machine made of physical matter
Mind and body are separate entities but they interact in the pineal gland to create our
psychological experiences and behaviour- DUALISM
*problems with this position-however lies in trying to explain how non-material mind can control
the physical workings of the body-in his attempt to provide an answer-Descartes proposed the
pineal gland to be the site where mind and body interacted
*Chose the pineal gland since it was a single structure in the brain and because in his view-soul
had to be a single invisible entity
*Despite this-realised that a great deal of behaviour was mechansical and didn’t require mental
intervention-developed the concept of the automatic reflex
-Prior to Descartes-generally been accepted that the soul controlled all the actions of the human
body-but he showed that the human body worked according to mechanical principles
His theory was to help lay the foundations for the modern development of physiology and
psychology-although it continued to be a dualist theory of the mind-helped shift the focus more on
to the problem of how reflexes may operate in human behaviour and mental processing without
fear of contradicting religious dogma-also encouraged others to speculate more deeply on the
localisation of different functions in the brain
Biopsychology-Monism/Interactionism
Modern day biopsychologists reject Descartes theory of dualism-first to begin the focus of the
investigation on how the body interacts with the structure of the mind
Today Bio-Psychologists believe:
mind + body = one & the same - MONISM.
• Every thought, feeling and behaviour can be explained by a physical or neural basis in the
brain.
• Mind is the product of brain’s activity.
• Not forgetting the importance of the social environment in which we live -
INTERACTIONISM.
Biological psychology: relational to other scientific disciplines
Biopsychology-integrative discipline-biopsychologists draw knowledge from other neuroscientific
disciplines and apply it to the study of behavipir
Divisions of biopsychology:
, Mind, Brain and Behaviour Revision
Physiological psychology
• Division of biopsychology that studies the neural mechanisms of behaviour through the
direct manipulation and recording of the brain in controlled experiments-surgical and
electrical methods-most common
• Interested in what areas of the brain are involved in different behaviours
• Invasive so majority of research utilises animal subjects
Methodology: Causal
• Lesions - Destroying parts of the brain permanently or temporarily
• Electrodes-electrical current destroys tissue
• Cannulae-chemical delivered destroys area permanently/ temporarily
• Stimulation - Stimulating the brain electrically or chemically
• Subjects-always laboratory animals-focus on direct brain manipulation
*Pure research in PP-emphasis is usually on rs that contributes to the development of theories of
the neural control of behaviour rather than on rs of immediate practical benefit
Psychopharmacology
• Similar to physiological but focuses on the manipulation of neural activity and behaviour
with drugs
• Investigates the effects of drugs on behaviour
• Normally psychoactive drugs-affect mental functioning
• Also interested In the nerual mechanisms by which the drug effects behaviour
Methodology:
• Majority of research utilises animal subjects - e.g. administer a drug in a particular area of
the brain and observe the effect on levels of exploratory behaviour.
• The therapeutic value can only however be established by examining the drugs effects in
humans.
Neuropsychology
• Neuropsychology is the study of the psychological effects of brain dysfunction in human
patients
• Because human volunteers cannot ethically be exposed to experimetnal treatments that
endanger normla brain function-neuropsychology deals almost exclusively with case
