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Questions and Answers
Which of the following research designs can establish cause and effect relationships?
Which of the following research designs can establish cause and effect relationships?
What type of research focuses on acquiring knowledge and is driven by the curiosity of the researcher?
What type of research focuses on acquiring knowledge and is driven by the curiosity of the researcher?
What is a limitation of quasiexperimental studies?
What is a limitation of quasiexperimental studies?
What is the focus of physiological psychology?
What is the focus of physiological psychology?
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What is the primary goal of applied research?
What is the primary goal of applied research?
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What is the primary focus of psychopharmacology?
What is the primary focus of psychopharmacology?
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What type of research design is used when conditions are rare?
What type of research design is used when conditions are rare?
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What type of research combines pure research with practical applications?
What type of research combines pure research with practical applications?
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What is the primary focus of neuropsychology?
What is the primary focus of neuropsychology?
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What is measured in psychophysiology to understand psychological processes?
What is measured in psychophysiology to understand psychological processes?
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What is the youngest division of biopsychology?
What is the youngest division of biopsychology?
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What is the primary method used in cognitive neuroscience?
What is the primary method used in cognitive neuroscience?
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What is visual tracking used to study in psychophysiology?
What is visual tracking used to study in psychophysiology?
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What is the focus of cognitive neuroscience?
What is the focus of cognitive neuroscience?
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What is used to measure neural activity in functional brain imaging?
What is used to measure neural activity in functional brain imaging?
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What is the focus of psychophysiology?
What is the focus of psychophysiology?
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What is the primary focus of biopsychology as a field of neuroscience?
What is the primary focus of biopsychology as a field of neuroscience?
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Which of the following is NOT a learning objective of Chapter 1?
Which of the following is NOT a learning objective of Chapter 1?
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What is the main difference between pure and applied research?
What is the main difference between pure and applied research?
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Which division of biopsychology is concerned with the study of the effects of drugs on behavior and mental processes?
Which division of biopsychology is concerned with the study of the effects of drugs on behavior and mental processes?
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What is the term for the use of multiple research methods to study a phenomenon, as in the study of Korsakoff’s syndrome?
What is the term for the use of multiple research methods to study a phenomenon, as in the study of Korsakoff’s syndrome?
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Which of the following is an example of a case study?
Which of the following is an example of a case study?
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What is the primary focus of comparative psychology?
What is the primary focus of comparative psychology?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of a well-designed experiment?
Which of the following is a characteristic of a well-designed experiment?
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What was the outcome of Moniz's research with chimpanzees?
What was the outcome of Moniz's research with chimpanzees?
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In what year did Moniz win the Nobel Prize?
In what year did Moniz win the Nobel Prize?
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What was the result of the reports of success with prefrontal lobotomy?
What was the result of the reports of success with prefrontal lobotomy?
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What is the name of the procedure shown in Figure 1.10?
What is the name of the procedure shown in Figure 1.10?
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Who developed the prefrontal lobotomy procedure with Moniz?
Who developed the prefrontal lobotomy procedure with Moniz?
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What is the name of the person who underwent prefrontal lobotomy?
What is the name of the person who underwent prefrontal lobotomy?
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What area of the brain is affected by prefrontal lobotomy?
What area of the brain is affected by prefrontal lobotomy?
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What is the name of the figure that shows the regions affected by prefrontal lobotomy?
What is the name of the figure that shows the regions affected by prefrontal lobotomy?
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What is the primary focus of comparative psychology?
What is the primary focus of comparative psychology?
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What is the main reason biopsychologists must collaborate to ask good questions?
What is the main reason biopsychologists must collaborate to ask good questions?
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What is the term for the process of making progress in understanding the brain by using different approaches?
What is the term for the process of making progress in understanding the brain by using different approaches?
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Why do scientists use scientific inference to study the brain?
Why do scientists use scientific inference to study the brain?
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What is the purpose of critical thinking in biopsychology?
What is the purpose of critical thinking in biopsychology?
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What is the principle that dictates a simpler explanation should be supported, as in the case of José Delgado's experiment?
What is the principle that dictates a simpler explanation should be supported, as in the case of José Delgado's experiment?
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What was the result of José Delgado's experiment with the bull?
What was the result of José Delgado's experiment with the bull?
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What is the focus of Figure 1.7?
What is the focus of Figure 1.7?
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What is an advantage of studying human subjects in research?
What is an advantage of studying human subjects in research?
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Why do researchers study nonhuman subjects in biopsychology?
Why do researchers study nonhuman subjects in biopsychology?
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What is the primary concern with regards to ethical constraints in biopsychological research?
What is the primary concern with regards to ethical constraints in biopsychological research?
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What is the significance of evolutionary continuity in the study of the brain?
What is the significance of evolutionary continuity in the study of the brain?
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What is an advantage of studying nonhuman subjects in biopsychology in terms of ethics?
What is an advantage of studying nonhuman subjects in biopsychology in terms of ethics?
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What is the major limitation of quasi-experimental design?
What is the major limitation of quasi-experimental design?
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What is the primary concern with case studies?
What is the primary concern with case studies?
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What is an example of a case study?
What is an example of a case study?
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Why might researchers use quasi-experimental design?
Why might researchers use quasi-experimental design?
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What is the main difference between experimental and quasi-experimental design?
What is the main difference between experimental and quasi-experimental design?
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What is an advantage of using experimental design?
What is an advantage of using experimental design?
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What is the primary goal of an experiment in biopsychological research?
What is the primary goal of an experiment in biopsychological research?
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What is a confounded variable in an experiment?
What is a confounded variable in an experiment?
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What is a limitation of experimental design?
What is a limitation of experimental design?
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Why might researchers use case studies?
Why might researchers use case studies?
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What is the difference between a between-subjects design and a within-subjects design?
What is the difference between a between-subjects design and a within-subjects design?
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Why is it important to keep all conditions constant in an experiment?
Why is it important to keep all conditions constant in an experiment?
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What is the role of the experimenter in an experiment?
What is the role of the experimenter in an experiment?
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What is the advantage of using an experiment in biopsychological research?
What is the advantage of using an experiment in biopsychological research?
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What is the purpose of the independent variable in an experiment?
What is the purpose of the independent variable in an experiment?
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What is the dependent variable in an experiment?
What is the dependent variable in an experiment?
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Which division of biopsychology focuses on the study of brain-behavior relationships through direct manipulation of the nervous system?
Which division of biopsychology focuses on the study of brain-behavior relationships through direct manipulation of the nervous system?
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What is the primary goal of researchers in Psychopharmacology?
What is the primary goal of researchers in Psychopharmacology?
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Which division of biopsychology does not use experimentation as a research method?
Which division of biopsychology does not use experimentation as a research method?
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What is the primary measure of brain activity used in Psychophysiology?
What is the primary measure of brain activity used in Psychophysiology?
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What is the primary focus of cognitive neuroscience?
What is the primary focus of cognitive neuroscience?
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What is the focus of researchers in Neuropsychology?
What is the focus of researchers in Neuropsychology?
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What is the term for the use of multiple research methods to study a phenomenon?
What is the term for the use of multiple research methods to study a phenomenon?
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Which division of biopsychology is most concerned with practical applications?
Which division of biopsychology is most concerned with practical applications?
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Which division of biopsychology is concerned with the study of the biology of behavior?
Which division of biopsychology is concerned with the study of the biology of behavior?
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What is the primary advantage of using human subjects in Psychophysiology?
What is the primary advantage of using human subjects in Psychophysiology?
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What is the primary difference between Physiological Psychology and Psychopharmacology?
What is the primary difference between Physiological Psychology and Psychopharmacology?
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What is the primary goal of researchers from different divisions of biopsychology collaborating with each other?
What is the primary goal of researchers from different divisions of biopsychology collaborating with each other?
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What is the primary focus of researchers who study the neural basis of cognitive processes?
What is the primary focus of researchers who study the neural basis of cognitive processes?
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What is the significance of the study of Jimmie G's profound memory deficit?
What is the significance of the study of Jimmie G's profound memory deficit?
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What is the primary focus of researchers who study animals in their natural environment?
What is the primary focus of researchers who study animals in their natural environment?
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What is the principle that guides researchers to use multiple research methods to study a phenomenon?
What is the principle that guides researchers to use multiple research methods to study a phenomenon?
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Study Notes
Biopsychology: Definition and Origins
- Biopsychology is the study of the biological basis of behavior and mental processes.
- The field of biopsychology originated from the integration of psychology, biology, and neuroscience.
Fields of Neuroscience Relevant to Biopsychology
- Six fields of neuroscience are particularly relevant to biopsychological inquiry:
- Physiological psychology
- Psychopharmacology
- Neuropsychology
- Psychophysiology
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Comparative psychology
Research Methods in Biopsychology
- Experiments: used to establish cause-and-effect relationships, can be between-subjects or within-subjects designs, and involve independent and dependent variables.
- Quasi-experimental studies: used when controlled experiments are impossible, involve self-selected subjects, and can't control confounding variables.
- Case studies: used to study rare conditions, involve single-subject design, and have questionable generalizability.
Pure and Applied Research
- Pure research: driven by the curiosity of the researcher, focuses on acquiring knowledge, and has no direct practical application.
- Applied research: aims to provide a direct benefit to humanity, involves translating pure research into practical applications.
Divisions of Biopsychology
- Physiological psychology: focuses on the direct manipulation of the nervous system, mostly uses animal subjects, and conducts pure research in a laboratory setting.
- Psychopharmacology: focuses on the manipulation of the nervous system using pharmacological methods, studies the effects of drugs on behavior, and conducts both pure and applied research.
- Neuropsychology: focuses on the psychological effects of brain dysfunction, uses case studies and quasi-experimental designs, and conducts applied research.
- Psychophysiology: focuses on the relation between physiological activity and psychological processes, uses non-invasive recordings from humans, and conducts pure research.
- Cognitive neuroscience: focuses on the neural basis of cognitive processes, uses non-invasive functional brain imaging, and conducts interdisciplinary research.
- Comparative psychology: adopts comparative and functional approaches, includes both laboratory and ethological studies, and involves evolutionary psychology and behavioral genetics.
Converging Operations
- Converging operations: involves collaboration between different areas of biopsychology to ask good questions, compensates for the shortcomings of individual approaches, and leads to progress in understanding the biological basis of behavior.
Scientific Inference
- Scientific inference: involves making conclusions about the unobservable workings of the brain based on the effects of processes on behavior.
- Brain activity is not directly observable, so scientists study the effects of processes to make inferences about brain function.
Critical Thinking in Biopsychology
- Critical thinking: involves identifying weaknesses in arguments and claims, and considering alternative explanations.
- Examples from the history of biopsychology serve as illustrations of the importance of critical thinking.
Research with Human Subjects
- Human subjects can follow directions and report subjective experiences
- Studying humans is often less expensive
- Humans have a more complex brain, which can be an advantage in research
Research with Nonhuman Subjects
- Nonhuman subjects have a simpler nervous system, making research easier
- Studying various species allows for a comparative approach
- There are fewer ethical constraints when working with nonhuman subjects
- Research with nonhuman subjects can provide insights into brain function due to evolutionary continuity
- Brain function is similar across species, with differences mainly in size and cortical development
- Biopsychological research with both humans and nonhumans is regulated by independent committees that follow strict ethical guidelines
Experiments
- Experiments are used to determine how experimental manipulations affect behavior.
- Experiments involve two or more treatment conditions with different groups of subjects (between-subjects design) or the same group of subjects (within-subjects design).
- The independent variable is set by the experimenter and is the manipulation that produces different treatment conditions.
- The dependent variable is what the experimenter measures, which is the response by the subject following the experimental manipulation.
- The goal of an experiment is to keep all conditions constant except for the independent variable to measure its effect on the dependent variable.
Limitations of Experiments
- Unintended differences between treatment groups (confounded variables) can influence the dependent variable, making it difficult to determine cause.
- Confounded variables make it challenging to conclude that the independent variable caused the effect.
Nonexperimental Studies
- Nonexperimental studies are used when controlled experiments are impossible or unethical.
- Quasiexperimental design examines subjects in real-world situations who are "self-selected" for the research based on a specific condition.
- Quasiexperimental design cannot control for confounding variables and cannot establish direct causal relationships.
Case Studies
- Case studies are scientific studies conducted on a single subject.
- The main problem with case studies is their limited generalizability, meaning research findings are limited in their applicability to the population in general.
Divisions of Biopsychology
- Six divisions of biopsychology take different approaches to studying brain-behavior relationships
- These divisions often overlap, and researchers may use multiple approaches to answer research questions
Physiological Psychology
- Studies brain-behavior relationships through direct manipulation of the nervous system
- Techniques include lesion techniques and invasive recording of brain activity
- Focuses on pure research, often using laboratory animals as subjects
Psychopharmacology
- Similar to Physiological Psychology, but focuses on pharmacological manipulations of the nervous system
- Explores how drugs affect behavior and neural activity
- Research can be pure or applied, focusing on drug abuse and therapeutic drugs
Neuropsychology
- Studies behavioral deficits in humans with brain damage, typically cortical damage
- Most applied of the six divisions, using case studies and quasi-experimental studies
- Research focuses on diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle counseling
Psychophysiology
- Examines the relationship between physiology and psychological processes
- Uses human subjects, with non-invasive techniques such as EEG, muscle tension, and heart rate
- Measures brain activity and other physiological processes
Cognitive Neuroscience
- Focuses on the neural basis of cognitive processes like learning, attention, and perception
- Often uses human subjects, non-invasive techniques like fMRI, and collaborations with other divisions
- Currently the most active division of biopsychology
Comparative Psychology
- Examines the biology of behavior, using comparative and functional approaches
- Conducts research in laboratories and natural environments (ethology)
- Incorporates evolutionary psychology and behavioral genetics, using comparative analysis
Converging Operations
- Using multiple approaches to solve a problem yields the greatest progress
- Example: Jimmie G.'s Korsakoff's syndrome diagnosis, which was initially thought to be caused by alcohol toxicity
- Converging lines of research revealed the true cause to be a thiamine deficiency
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Description
Learn about the basics of biopsychology and its relation to neuroscience in this chapter. Understand the definition and concepts of biopsychology.