Download PSY 2012 General Psychology Chapter 2: Biopsychology

General Psychology
Biopsychology
Palahang H, Ph.D.
The Department of Psychiatry
The University of Medical Science
Biological Psychology: Core Concepts
• At the individual level, Genetic Codes
play a role in the unique individual
characteristics
• Genotype—unique genetic code inherited
by the individual from biological parents
Biological Psychology: Core Concepts
• Phenotype—expression of the genotype
in physical and psychological
characteristics
– Impacted by biological and environmental
forces
• Biological forces: disease, toxins, injury
• Environmental forces: access to health care,
access to stimulation from the environment
The Individual: Chromosomes, Genes,
and Inherited DNA
• Why are some people shorter than others?
• Why are some children born with Down’s
syndrome?
The Individual: Chromosomes, Genes,
and Inherited DNA
 Chromosomes—
 the structure that carries the genetic material (DNA)
 23 pairs— half contributed by the biological mother
and half by the biological father
• Chromosomes are made up of genes—with
specific DNA codes.
– Each gene is responsible for some characteristic of
the organism
The Individual: Chromosomes, Genes,
and Inherited DNA
• One pair of chromosomes determines our
biological sex
– The biological mother contributes the X
– The biological father contributes either
another X or a Y chromosome.
• XX= female (more female fetuses survive than
males)
• XY=male
The Individual: Chromosomes, Genes,
and Inherited DNA
• Relationship between genotype and
characteristics and behaviors is complex;
– Inheriting a genotype linked to some
psychopathology does not mean individuals
will experience that pathology (e.g.
schizophrenia).
– Impact of the pathology is frequently
minimized by alterations in the environment
(e.g. corrective lenses).
The Central Nervous System
The Human Brain
Brain Structures and Functions
• Brain stem
– First to evolve
– Life-sustaining systems: breathing, pulse rate
– Similar to brains of reptiles
• Cerebellum
– Coordination of “automatic” movements
(walking, dancing)
– Processing other temporal stimuli (e.g. music)
Brain Structures and Functions
Limbic system
– Emotion, memories, desires
– Functions to help us remember highly emotional
experiences
– Contains the hypothalamus—control center for many
functions
• Cerebral cortex
– Last to evolve
– Linked to higher mental processes
– Different areas or “lobes” control different functions
Cerebral Cortex: Higher Mental
Functions
Frontal Lobe
• “Executive functions”—Planning, controlling, recognize
future outcomes from current actions etc.,
• Broca’s area of the frontal lobe—production of complex
language
• Motor functions—controls voluntary muscle groups
• Alcohol likely decreases the functioning of this part of the
brain related to impulse control (Amen, 1999)
Parietal Lobe
• Receives input from senses
• Distributes sensory information to other
parts of the brain
• Supports selective attention to particular
sensory information
• With parietal lobe damage, attention may
be disrupted (Vecera & Flevaris, 2004)
Occipital Lobe
 Visual information—color, brightness, motion, etc.,
 Specialized areas for human face recognition
Temporal Lobe
• Left temporal lobe (Werneke’s area) language
comprehension, naming, etc.
• Auditory sense is processed
Peripheral Nervous System
• Somatic Nervous System—links with senses and
voluntary muscles
– Sensory Nervous System—brings information FROM the
senses to the central nervous system
– Motor Nervous System—carries information from the central
nervous system TO the muscles for action
Peripheral Nervous System
• Autonomic Nervous System—links internal glands and
organs
– Sympathetic Division—arouses our systems when the need
arises (e.g. anxiety producing stimulus, sexual arousal)
– Parasympathetic Division—inhibits our systems or reduces the
arousal