08-09 Introduction to Psychology and it’s Methods
Studying the brain:
19th century —> phrenology (pseudoscience)
A way of measuring parts of the skull (dents and bumps) and linking these to personality traits e.g.
violence / sincerity. Used for eugenics / justifying genocide / colonialism.
The case of Phineas Gage
A mans face was drilled by a rod, but he did not die. The rod punctured his brain. Post traumatic
personality change.
Methods for studying the brain (how do we get the information that we get?):
- Clinical observation of patients with brain damage
- Experimental techniques
- Invasive, so are mostly used on animals
- TMS (Transcranial magnetic simulation)
- While doing a task, there will be a frequency sent to a very speci c part of the brain, which
will impair part of your ability to do something. Assessing which parts of the brain are used
for what tasks.
- Other techniques
- Electrophysiology (EEG/ERP —> very time sensitive signal will be sent to the brain and
ampli ed —> and the brain activity will be measured, a lot of statistical processing is needed
to gain any information from brain waves) (VEP)
- Brian imaging (MRI scan can show brain activity this doesn’t measure the electricity but the
blood, when a certain part of your brain is doing an task actively, it needs more oxygen, so
by locating the magnetic property of the blood, we can show which part of the brain is being
used) or (PET scan which shows chemically which part of therein is getting the most blood
-
Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system
Di erent types of neurons:
- Sensory receptors
- Sensory a erent neurons
- Motor e erent neurons
- last one
Communication among neurons:
Action potential is a neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon with
speeds up to 320 kmh. A stronger signal is red more times. (All or none law).
A synapse is located at the end of an axon terminal, and is the place where a signal passes from
one nerve cell to another.
Neurotransmitters (serotonin / dopamine) are chemical substances that transmit signals from one
neuron to another. And have a lot of psychological e ect
Drugs in uence this process:
- Agonists: in uence a speci c neuron by in uencing the activity of that neuron (make a neuron
release more of a function) Also counteract the cleanup enzymes so it can keep the neuron
work for the longest time. Is also mimicking the transmitter’s action.
- Antagonists: increase e ectiveness of the cleanup enzymes and decrease the activity of a
neurotransmitters, so instead of mimicking it blocks receptors.
Dopamine pathways are involved with diseases such as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s, it gives a
feeling of happiness.
Communication of the brain with the body:
[graph from slides]
The sympathetic division of the nervous system prepares the body for action & arouses the body
by mobilizing its energy in stressful situations, and uses energy.
ff fi flff fffl
ff fi fl fi ff fi
Studying the brain:
19th century —> phrenology (pseudoscience)
A way of measuring parts of the skull (dents and bumps) and linking these to personality traits e.g.
violence / sincerity. Used for eugenics / justifying genocide / colonialism.
The case of Phineas Gage
A mans face was drilled by a rod, but he did not die. The rod punctured his brain. Post traumatic
personality change.
Methods for studying the brain (how do we get the information that we get?):
- Clinical observation of patients with brain damage
- Experimental techniques
- Invasive, so are mostly used on animals
- TMS (Transcranial magnetic simulation)
- While doing a task, there will be a frequency sent to a very speci c part of the brain, which
will impair part of your ability to do something. Assessing which parts of the brain are used
for what tasks.
- Other techniques
- Electrophysiology (EEG/ERP —> very time sensitive signal will be sent to the brain and
ampli ed —> and the brain activity will be measured, a lot of statistical processing is needed
to gain any information from brain waves) (VEP)
- Brian imaging (MRI scan can show brain activity this doesn’t measure the electricity but the
blood, when a certain part of your brain is doing an task actively, it needs more oxygen, so
by locating the magnetic property of the blood, we can show which part of the brain is being
used) or (PET scan which shows chemically which part of therein is getting the most blood
-
Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system
Di erent types of neurons:
- Sensory receptors
- Sensory a erent neurons
- Motor e erent neurons
- last one
Communication among neurons:
Action potential is a neural impulse, a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon with
speeds up to 320 kmh. A stronger signal is red more times. (All or none law).
A synapse is located at the end of an axon terminal, and is the place where a signal passes from
one nerve cell to another.
Neurotransmitters (serotonin / dopamine) are chemical substances that transmit signals from one
neuron to another. And have a lot of psychological e ect
Drugs in uence this process:
- Agonists: in uence a speci c neuron by in uencing the activity of that neuron (make a neuron
release more of a function) Also counteract the cleanup enzymes so it can keep the neuron
work for the longest time. Is also mimicking the transmitter’s action.
- Antagonists: increase e ectiveness of the cleanup enzymes and decrease the activity of a
neurotransmitters, so instead of mimicking it blocks receptors.
Dopamine pathways are involved with diseases such as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s, it gives a
feeling of happiness.
Communication of the brain with the body:
[graph from slides]
The sympathetic division of the nervous system prepares the body for action & arouses the body
by mobilizing its energy in stressful situations, and uses energy.
ff fi flff fffl
ff fi fl fi ff fi
