Psychology 304: Brain and Behaviour Lecture 1

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Psychology 304 Brain and BehaviourLecture 1
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Introductory Concepts and Research Methods

1. What is biological psychology?
2. What is the relation between biological
   psychology and other disciplines of neuroscience?

3. What types of research methods do biological
psychologists use?
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By the end of todays class, you should be able
to
1. define the term biological psychology.
2. describe neuroscientific disciplines related
to biological psychology.
3. describe the scientific method.
4. distinguish between the distinct types of
studies used in biopsychological research.
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What is biological psychology?

• A branch of neuroscience.

• The scientific study of the biological bases of
  psychological processes and behaviour.

• Also referred to as biopsychology, behavioural
  neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience,
  psychobiology, and behavioural biology.

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What is the relation between biological
psychology and other disciplines of neuroscience?

• Biological psychology draws upon research
  findings from many other disciplines of
  neuroscience. Among these are

Neuroendocrinology
Neuroanatomy
Neuropathology
Neurophysiology
Neurochemistry
Neuropharmacology
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What types of research methods do biological
psychologists use?

• Biological psychology relies upon the
  scientific method that is, systematic and
  objective observation.

• Several steps are involved in conducting
  research using the scientific method

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• Theory

Hypothesis

Interactive Relationship
Operationalization

Research


Data
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• Biopsychological research involves four types
  of studies.

1. Experimental studies
? Designed to examine cause and effect
relationships between variables.
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? In conducting an experiment, a researcher
(a) randomly assigns subjects to groups that
will receive different levels of the
hypothesized causal or independent variable
(IV).
(b) administers a distinct treatment (i.e.,
level of the IV) to each group.
(c) measures the hypothesized effect or
dependent variable (DV) for each group.
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A Simple Experiment
Group A
Treatment A
Posttest
Subjects
Random Assignment
Group B
Posttest
Treatment B
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? Example Lester and Gorzalka (1988).
Randomly assigned female rats to one of two
treatment groups
Treatment Group A Copulated with one male, then
with a second male, and then with the original
male again (i.e., 1, 2, 1).
Treatment Group B Copulated with one male, then
with a second male, and then with a third male
(i.e., 1, 2, 3).
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Results
Treatment Group A
Treatment Group B
Mean LordosisDuration (Minutes)
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Conclusion Females who lose sexual interest in
males that they have previously copulated with
will display renewed sexual interest when
presented with a novel male.
This effect is referred to as the Coolidge
effect.
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2. Quasi-experimental studies
? Designed to contrast two or more existing
groups on a variable of interest.
? Used when an experiment cannot be conducted
due to ethical or practical limitations.
? Subjects are not randomly assigned to groups.
As a result, causal conclusions cannot be drawn.
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? Example Acker, Ron, Lishman, Shaw (1984).
Contrasted detoxified male alcoholics to
non-drinking males.
Found that the alcoholic sample (a) performed
relatively poorly on measures of perceptual,
motor, and cognitive ability, and (b) had brain
damage, as revealed by brain scans.
Possible confounds Education level, number of
head injuries, drug use, diet.
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3. Correlational studies
? Designed to examine the extent to which 2
naturally- occurring variables covary.
? Correlations are typically measured by the
Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient
(r)
Magnitude of r strength of linear relationship
between variables.
Sign of r ( vs. -) direction of linear
relationship between variables.
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? Example Morris, Udry, Khan-Dawood, and Dawood
(1997).
Examined the correlation between testosterone
levels among midcycle women and frequency of
sexual intercourse.
Found a correlation of .62 (plt.01), indicating
that higher midcycle testosterone levels are
associated with greater frequency of sexual
intercourse.
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Introductory Concepts and Research Methods

1. What is biological psychology?
2. What is the relation between biological
   psychology and other disciplines of neuroscience?

3. What types of research methods do biological
psychologists use?