Biological perspective

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Biological perspective

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Historical and Cultural context

• Describe and evaluate the cultural context and
  development, the conceptual framework, the
  methodology, and the application of the
  biomedical model

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What Historical and cultural conditions gave rise
to the biological perspective?

• Dualism
• Darwin
• Cultural acceptance of scientific method
• Proven effectiveness of Drug intervention
• The development of genetics and scanning studies

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Historical and cultural conditions that gave rise
to the biological perspective

• Consider this
• People trust science--scientifically prove to
  make your whites whiter
• A whole new branch called evolutionary psychology
• Is psychology really just a subset of biology?
• The 90s Decade of the brain
• Even IB Psychology making Biological a core area!

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• EEG

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• MRI

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• PET
• http//hendrix.ei.dtu.dk/movies/moviehome.html

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Migrane
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Contribution of the biological perspective to the
scientific study of behaviour, and its current
standing

• biological correlates of behaviour
• genetic contributions to explanations of
  behaviour
• effects of hormonal change on behaviour
• experimental testing of hypotheses
• use of both quantitative and qualitative research

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Identify the Key concepts

• how physiological concepts such as the endocrine
  system, central nervous system affect behaviour
• neurotransmittersexcitatory, inhibitory
• the brainlocalization of function
• bodily rhythms (we will cover next semester)

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Resting potential
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Action potential
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Normal Synapse
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Effect of MDMA at Synapse

• MDMA can cause the release of the
  neurotransmitter called serotonin.
• MDMA can block the reuptake of serotonin by the
  synaptic terminal that releases it.
• MDMA can deplete the amount of serotonin in the
  brain.
• MDMA can cause an indirect decrease in the amount
  of the neurotransmitter called dopamine.

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Monkey on E
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Your brain on cocaine
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• Cocaine acts by blocking the reuptake of the
  neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and
  serotonin in

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Identify the assumptions

• All that is psychological is first physiological

• Examples
• ADHD
• Aggression
• Schizophrenia

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Identify the assumptions

• All behaviour has a cause- deterministic

• Examples
• Inherited traits
• biological factors (such as genes and hormones)
  influencing behaviour (for example, innate
  tendency to imprint)
• Where is free will?

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Identify the assumptions

• Animals may be studied as a means of
  understanding human behaviour.

• Examples
• Lobotomy ?
• Split brain ?
• Testosterone?
• Oxymotin ?

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Identify the assumptions

• Human genes have evolved over millions of years
  to adapt behavior to the environment. Therefore,
  much behaviour has a genetic basis.

• Examples
• The smile
• Mating behaviors
• Flight or fight
• Tend and befriend

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Identify the assumptions

• Psychology should investigate the brain, nervous
  system, endocrine system, neurochemistry, and
  genes.

• Examples
• Split brain
• Drug research
• Lobotomy
• Brain damage

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Split brain

• Sperry et al
• Vogel and Bogen (1961)

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anterior cerebral commissurotomy
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Hemispheric specialization
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chimeric figures

• Focus on the dot
• Point pick a woman
• Talk pick a man

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Identify the assumptions

• Evaluation of assumptions

• comparison with other perspectives to explain
  strengths and limitations
• empirical studies that challenge or support

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Identify the assumptions

• Evaluation of assumptions

• Comparison
• Aggression
• Gender roles
• Language development

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Theoretical explanation of Behavior

• use of drugs, surgical procedures

• Can you name any?
• Depression?
• Schizophrenia?
• Two key surgical procedures

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Theoretical explanation of Behavior

• physiological impairment,

• Can you name any?
• such as strokes or Alzheimers disease
• Stroke
• Head injuries

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Theoretical explanation of Behavior

• physiological factors involved in psychological
  processes

• Emotions Describe which parts of the brain and
  which neuro-chemicals are involved
• anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

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Eating disorders

• Physiological
• Cultural
• Emotional
• Female/male differences (1 to 7)
• Feel fat vs are fat
• Weight vs shape

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• "But it probably involves a transition from
  psychosocial to biomedical mechanisms."

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Theoretical explanation of Behavior

• influence of hormones

• Starting before birth
• Male?
• Female?
• Others?

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Evaluation of assumptions

• use of alternative perspectives as a possible
  evaluative strategy

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Methods

• correlational studies
• double-blind trials
• experiments
• interviews
• case studies
• questionnaires

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Strengths and limitations of methods

• comparison of invasive and non-invasive
  techniques
• reliability and validity

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Ethics and controversies of research

• use of human and non-human animals for research

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Effectiveness of the perspective in explaining
psychological and/or social questions

• comparison with other perspectives on questions
  such as aggression, gender differences or stress
• application of genetic research and its ethical
  implications

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Strengths

• The approach is very scientific.
• Practical applications have been extremely
  effective.

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Weakness

• Reductionist - it explains thoughts and
  behaviours in terms of the actions of neurons and
  biochemicals. This may ignore other more suitable
  levels of explanation and the interaction of
  causal factors.

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Weakness

• It has not explained how mind and body interact -
  consciousness and emotion are difficult to study
  objectively.

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Weakness

• Biopsychological theories often over-simplify the
  huge complexity of physical systems and their
  interaction with the environment.

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Gender differences Nature or nurture?
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• Females have evolved mechanisms that enable them
  to detect men that will transfer resources to
  their offspring (i.e. health and paternal
  investment ). These are sometimes referred to as
  'good provider' and 'good genes' attributes in
  the male
• Males have evolved mechanisms that enable them to
  detect females that promise rapid production of
  offspring, and a disinclination to mate with
  other men (i.e. health, fertility and
  faithfulness )

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Aggression

• Nature

• Nurture

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Aggression

• Nature
• GeneticInheritance of behavioral capacity for
  aggression.
• PhysiologicalControl of aggression by brain,
  blood and hormones.
• Organism 1. Why animals aggress. Control by
  genetic and physiological factors.

• Nurture
• 2. Influence of learning.
• a. Pavlovian conditioning
• b. Operant conditioning
• c. Social modeling
• SocietySocietal organization, cultural and
  political determinants of aggression
•      a. Sociology
•      b. Anthropology
•      c. Political Science

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Aggression

• Nature
• GeneticInheritance of behavioral capacity for
  aggression.
• PhysiologicalControl of aggression by brain,
  blood and hormones.
• Organism 1. Why animals aggress. Control by
  genetic and physiological factors.

• Nurture
• Ecology
• Large scale population characteristics and
  availability of natural resources.
• a. Over population (e.g., Rwanda)
• b. Limited food supply
• c. Limited energy supply
• 1. Oil exhausted by the year 2050

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Lorenz' Hydraulic Model of motivation

• Hydraulic Theory predicts
• Aggression is inevitable - the accumulating
  energy must find an outlet
• Humans animals will actively 'look for
  fights'.
• After an attack an animal / human will become
  less aggressive.
• Animals reared in isolation will show aggressive
  behaviour.

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Baerends and his guppies
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HUMANS AINt Guppies!Or are they?
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Does the Hydraulic model explain this?
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Deutsch's Model of motivation
Notice the feedback loop!
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Phineas Gage

• Railroad worker-spike went through his head
• Gage was able to walk away from the accident,
  "talking with composure and equanimity of the
  hole in his head."
• Previously a polite and sociable gentleman, Gage
  became an antisocial, foul-mouthed,
  irresponsible, bad-mannered lout and unrepentant
  liar.
• According to his friends, he was "no longer
  Gage."
• He drifted from job to job, finally dying
  penniless.

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Jonathan Toot and his wandering rats

• Add a male

• Add a female

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THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

• The endocrine systemthe other communication
  system in the bodyis made up of endocrine glands
  that produce hormones, chemical substances
  released into the bloodstream to guide such
  processes as metabolism, growth, and sexual
  development. Hormones are also involved in
  regulating emotional life.

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THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

• The Thyroid GlandThe thyroid gland secretes
  thyroxin, a hormone that can reduce concentration
  and lead to irritability when the thyroid is
  overactive, and cause drowsiness and a sluggish
  metabolism when the thyroid is underactive.
• The Parathyroid GlandsWithin the thyroid are
  four tiny pea-shaped organs, the parathyroids,
  that secrete parathormone to control and balance
  the levels of calcium and phosphate in the blood
  and tissue fluids. This, in turn, affects the
  excitability of the nervous system.

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THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

• The Pineal Gland The pineal gland is a pea-sized
  gland that apparently responds to exposure to
  light and regulates activity levels over the
  course of the day.
• The Pancreas The pancreas lies in a curve
  between the stomach and the small intestine and
  controls the level of sugar in the blood by
  secreting insulin and glucagon.

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THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

• The Gonads These reproductive glandsthe testes
  in males and the ovaries in females, and, to a
  lesser extent, the adrenal glandssecrete
  androgens (including testosterone) and estrogens.
  

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THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

• The Adrenal Glands The two adrenal glands are
  located above the kidneys. Each has two parts an
  outer covering, the adrenal cortex, and an inner
  core, the adrenal medulla. Both influence the
  body's responses to stress. For example, in
  response to a stressful situation, the pituitary
  gland may release beta endorphin and ACTH, which,
  in turn, prompt the adrenal cortex to release
  hormones. Meanwhile, the autonomic nervous system
  stimulates the adrenal medulla to secrete
  hormones such as epinephrine into the
  bloodstream.

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Brain during sleep
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Jonathan Toot and his wandering rats

• Add a male
• an average of 2.6 times, and
• received an average of 1.8 scars
• Guess what
• significantly lower levels of dopamine and
  serotonin in areas of the amygdala

• Add a female
• Female rats did not attack other rats, and
• were not attacked themselves.

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Jonathan Toot and his wandering rats

• "The data show that males are involved in more
  fights than females," they say, "suggesting
  increased aggression is influenced by a
  Y-chromosomal effect that decreases amygdala
  serotonin."
• The researchers speculate that testosterone
  levels also contribute to males' increased
  aggression.

• open up the possibility of being able to identify
  the chromosome markers in high-risk males, and of
  trying to manipulate their levels of serotonin,
  through diet, exercise, or medication.a long way
  down the road, but this is the start."

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More mice

• "The effect of ginkgo biloba on aggression was
  remarkable," the researchers say. "When 0.1 ml of
  ginkgo biloba was administered to MAOA knockout
  mice, their aggressive behavior in
  resident-intruder confrontations was reduced
  significantly." The substance had no effect on
  the mice's nonsocial, investigative, defensive,
  or movement behaviors, indicating that effects
  were not due simply to sedation.

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Ruben Gur and colleagues performed MRI

• 57 men and

• 59 women

• The researchers measured
• the volume of the amygdala,
• hippocampus, and
• other limbic areas associated with emotional
  arousal,
• as compared to the volume of orbital frontal
  brain regions that exert control over emotional
  responses

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Ruben Gur and colleagues performed MRI

• 57 men and

• 59 women

• Results
• Same for
• the volume of the amygdala,
• hippocampus, and
• other limbic areas associated with emotional
  arousal,
• But women had significantly larger orbital
  frontal cortex volume than men.

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Ruben Gur and colleagues performed MRI

• Conclusions
• "Because men and women differ in the way they
  process the emotions associated with perception,
  experience, expression, and most particularly in
  aggression," the researchers say, "our belief is
  that the proportional difference in size in the
  region of the brain that governs behavior,
  compared to the region related to impulsiveness,
  may be a major factor in determining what is
  often considered 'gender-related' behavior."

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There is little doubt that social and
psychological factors contribute to the
development of crime, and there is an extensive
body of research established in those areas.
Could there also be, however, a biologic risk for
wickedness, whereby an individual is biologically
predisposed to engage in serious repeat criminal
offenses? There is a growing body of literature
to suggest that this may be the case. In other
words, biological individual differences may be a
predisposition to crime."Angela Scarpa and
Adrian Raine,"Biology of wickedness,"in
Psychiatric Annals,September 1997
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The mind of a killer

• mental illness,
• neurological damage
• and child abuse.

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The mind of a killer

• It's pretty clear that mental illness is not
  enough to cause violence because most people who
  are mentally ill are not violent

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The mind of a killer

• It's also evident that neurological damage is not
  enough to cause violence because the vast
  majority of people who are neurologically
  impaired are not violent.

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The mind of a killer

• And it's clear that the experience of horrendous
  child abuse is not enough to cause violence
  because most people who are abused that way are
  not violent.

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The mind of a killer

• Yet, most violent people have these three
  factors, or two of the three.

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The mind of a killer Theory

• abuse sets up an impulse toward violence that a
  good brain can control.
• neurological damage and mental illness, then
  violent impulses are not easy to check.

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The mind of a killer Application

• Lewis Culpepper
• Sexually abused a girl
• 15 years he was abused
• 15 years lived normal (but with fantasies)
• Then car accident

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The mind of a killer Application

• Hitler
• Abused as a child
• Manic depressive, filled with anger

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• The conclusion of this paper is a wholehearted
  rejection of any consideration of biological,
  genetic, or evolutionary factors in the
  explanation or analysis of conflict. While a
  number of different arguments are presented, and
  it is admitted in some cases that the outcome is
  not conclusive, the net consequence of these
  arguments is in favour of the rejection of
  biology and the acceptance of social explanations
  based on human openness and what have been
  described as the essential features of man. But
  this has been said before the proper study of
  man is man.

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Keith Webb

• But we can, perhaps, go further than this. The
  biological interpretation of the world is not
  just a description of the world, but like all
  social theory has prescriptions embedded within
  it. These prescriptions are profoundly
  reactionary and operate to justify the existing
  social order. Thus Shaw and Wong (1989 195-209)
  attack 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approaches to
  peace, as well as functional or world society
  approaches (e.g., Banks, 1984) as approaches
  which do not recognise the essential nature of
  man.

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Keith Webb

• Their own scheme for peace is no more convincing
  than that of Lorenz before them - educational
  efforts, a redefinition of inclusive fitness, and
  a voluntaristic change in attitudes and beliefs.
  But, in terms of their own theory, such hopes are
  utopian rather, they should accept the dismal
  consequences of their own ideas and recognise
  that peace is unattainable. The real message of
  biological arguments is that the human race will
  forever be embroiled in violent confrontations
  and thus arms races, nuclear deterrence, balances
  of power, and military alliances, are the best
  means of attaining our security.

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Keith Webb

• Given the weakness of biological arguments,
  however, there is no need to accept these
  conclusions, and hence no good reason to succumb
  to a mindless fatalism.

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So what are the limitations of biologic
psychiatry?

• First of all, medications lessen symptoms, they
  do not treat mental illness per se. This
  distinction is crucial. Symptoms by definition
  are the surface presentation of a deeper process.
  This is self-evident. However, there has been a
  vast and largely unacknowledged effort on the
  part of modern (i.e., biologic) psychiatry to
  equate symptoms with mental illness.

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Recommendations for change in lifestyles

• contribution of the biological perspective to
  changes in education, work or therapy

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Assumptions on which key concepts are based

• innate disposition and environmental influences
  and their evaluation
• imprinting
• relative influence of inherited and environmental
  factors upon behaviour, such as intelligence

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• http//psych.hanover.edu/Krantz/tutor.htmlBiopsyc
  hology/Physiopsychology

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• There are three different aspects to biology to
  consider biology is the causation of behavior,
  genetics, and evolution.
• One way of studying the brain is through clinical
  observation - looking for specific areas of the
  brain that are damaged and then determining the
  functions of that damaged area of the brain based
  on the behavioral response.
• Recent advances in technology has yield better
  ways of studying the brain through neuroimaging
  (eg. through MRI and CAT scans, for example).
• Among the various structures in the brain, the
  cortex is probably the most important as it
  controls motor, sensory and higher mental
  functions such as thought, language, reason,
  emotion and memory.
• A neuron is the specialized cell of the nervous
  system.
• Neurons communicate via neurotransmitters, which
  are special chemicals that are released at the
  synapse.
• The endocrine system is a complementary system to
  the nervous system in that it has a role in
  determining behavior as well.