1. 1 Chapter One Introducing Biological Psychology Shorten!!!

2. 2 Biological Psychology as an Interdisciplinary Field Includes the study of psychology, biology, physiology, biochemistry, the neural sciences and related fields. Biological Psychology: the study of relationships between the nervous system and behavior, which can be circular. Example: high testosterone may produce aggression (biology affects behavior), but watching your favorite sports team lose may reduce testosterone levels (behavior affects biology).

3. 3 Highlights in the Biological Psychology Timeline Prehistoric (7000 yrs ago): Trepanation Courtesy San Diego Museum of Man

4. 4 Highlights in the Biological Psychology Timeline Egyptians (5000 yrs ago): Greek Thinkers (4 th century BC): Courtesy San Diego Museum of Man

5. 5 René Descartes (1596-1650) Continued the notion that fluids produced movement. Withdrawal Reflex Nerves sense heat or pain and opened “pores” in the brain. Pores release animal spirits which flow through hollow tubes in the body. Reservoirs in the muscles would fill with these spirits, causing the foot to pull away from the fire. http://www.nyu.edu/pages/linguistics/courses/v610051/gelmanr/

6. 6 The mind-body question: Dualism: The belief that the body is physical but the mind (or soul) is not. Monism: The belief that the mind is the product of activity in the nervous system. René Descartes (1596-1650)

7. 7 The mind-body problem: Pre-Descartes mind influences body, but not vice versa; the puppeteer and puppet Descartes: a mutual interaction Mind and body both influence each other Pineal gland The site of the mind-body interaction René Descartes (1596-1650)

8. 8 The Brain Sciences Advanced Quickly (1500-1800) Electricity established as the mode of communication used by the nervous system Galvani’s Lab

9. 9 Early 1800s: Sensory and motor information travels in separate pathways i.e., info is only sent in one direction The Brain Sciences Continue to Sound More Modern

10. 10 The Brain Sciences Continue to Sound More Modern Phrenology (popular from 1820 to 1850) the correlation of bumps on the skull with personal traits, was misguided in most respects, but was modern in its acceptance that functions may be localized in the brain (localization of function). http://mcvey.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/phrenology.jpg

11. 11 The Neuron Doctrine Nervous system comprised a vast array of independent, separate nerve cells. Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934) Neuron Doctrine Proposed Neuron Doctrine From Santiago Ramon y Cajal, Histologie du systeme nerveux de l’homme et des vertebres. Paris: A. Maloine, 1909–1911

12. 12 Important Concepts ( that we take for granted today) 1. The nervous system (esp. brain) controls behavior 2. The nervous system communicates with electricity 3. Sensory and motor information travels in separate pathways 5. Nervous system is divided into independent, separate nerve cells 6. Functions may be localized in the brain.