Biological Approach to Psychology PDF

Biological Approach 1.​ Draginski et al. (2004) ○​ Key Concept: Neural pruning and neuroplasticity. ○​ Aim: Investigate if the brain can change structure in response to learning. ○​ Procedure: ​ Participants were divided into two groups: jugglers a...

Biological Approach 1.​ Draginski et al. (2004) ○​ Key Concept: Neural pruning and neuroplasticity. ○​ Aim: Investigate if the brain can change structure in response to learning. ○​ Procedure: ​ Participants were divided into two groups: jugglers and non-jugglers. ​ MRI scans were taken before learning to juggle, after three months of juggling practice, and three months after stopping practice. ​ Participants were instructed to practice juggling for a minimum of 60 seconds daily. ○​ Findings: ​ Increased grey matter in the mid-temporal area of the brain (associated with visual memory) was observed in the juggling group. ​ This increase in grey matter reduced significantly after they stopped practicing for three months. ○​ Conclusion: ​ Neuroplasticity allows the brain to adapt structurally to new skills, but these changes may not be permanent without consistent practice. ​ Highlights the relationship between environmental stimuli and brain structure. 2.​ Newcomer et al. (1999) ○​ Key Concept: Cortisol and memory. ○​ Aim: Investigate how stress hormone cortisol affects verbal declarative memory. ○​ Procedure: ​ Participants were divided into three groups: high cortisol dose (160 mg/day), low cortisol dose (40 mg/day), and placebo. ​ Over four days, participants listened to and recalled parts of a prose paragraph. ​ Verbal declarative memory was assessed daily. ○​ Findings: ​ High cortisol levels impaired memory performance significantly compared to placebo and low-dose groups. ​ Low doses had minimal impact on memory. ○​ Conclusion: ​ Cortisol, associated with stress, negatively affects memory performance, particularly at high levels. ​ Demonstrates the physiological effects of stress on cognitive processes. 3.​ Caspi et al. (2003) ○​ Key Concept: Gene-environment interaction (5-HTT gene). ○​ Aim: Investigate whether the 5-HTT gene modulates the influence of stressful life events on depression. ○​ Procedure:  ​ 847 participants were tested for the length of their 5-HTT alleles (long or short). ​ Participants completed a life-stress inventory questionnaire, documenting stressors experienced over five years. ​ Depression symptoms were assessed through structured interviews. ○​ Findings: ​ Participants with one or two short alleles of the 5-HTT gene and exposure to stress were more likely to develop depression. ​ Long alleles were associated with greater resilience to stress. ○​ Conclusion: ​ The 5-HTT gene moderates susceptibility to depression in response to stress. ​ Highlights the importance of gene-environment interactions in psychological health. Cognitive Approach 1.​ Bransford & Johnson (1972) ○​ Key Concept: Schema theory. ○​ Aim: Investigate the effect of prior knowledge on memory comprehension. ○​ Procedure: ​ Participants heard a complex, ambiguous passage about laundry either with or without contextual information. ​ Contextual information was provided before, after, or not at all (control group). ​ Participants were asked to recall as many details as possible. ○​ Findings: ​ Those who received context before hearing the passage had significantly better recall. ​ Context provided after the passage did not improve recall compared to the control group. ○​ Conclusion: ​ Schemas help encode and retrieve information more effectively. ​ Demonstrates the importance of prior knowledge in cognitive processing. 2.​ Brown & Kulik (1977) ○​ Key Concept: Flashbulb memories. ○​ Aim: Explore how emotion influences vivid memories of significant events. ○​ Procedure: ​ Participants were asked to recall their memories of significant public events (e.g., JFK’s assassination) and personal events. ​ They described the circumstances in which they heard the news, including location, emotions, and other details. ○​ Findings:  ​ Memories of shocking, emotional events were more vivid and detailed than non-emotional events. ​ African American participants recalled events like the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. more vividly. ○​ Conclusion: ​ Emotional significance enhances memory retention. ​ Flashbulb memories are a distinct phenomenon linked to emotional arousal. Sociocultural Approach 1.​ Tajfel (1970) ○​ Key Concept: Social identity theory. ○​ Aim: Investigate the minimal conditions required for in-group favoritism and discrimination. ○​ Procedure: ​ Boys were randomly assigned to groups based on trivial criteria (e.g., preference for one artist over another). ​ Asked to allocate points to members of their own group and the other group using matrices. ○​ Findings: ​ Boys consistently allocated more points to their in-group, even at the expense of maximizing overall group rewards. ​ Demonstrated in-group favoritism based on minimal group criteria. ○​ Conclusion: ​ Social identity alone is enough to trigger discrimination. ​ Supports the idea that people derive self-esteem from group membership. 2.​ Bandura (1961) ○​ Key Concept: Social cognitive theory. ○​ Aim: Examine if children learn aggression through observation. ○​ Procedure: ​ Children watched an adult model act aggressively or non-aggressively towards a Bobo doll. ​ Some models were rewarded or punished for their behavior. ​ Children were then observed interacting with the same Bobo doll. ○​ Findings: ​ Children who observed aggressive behavior imitated the model’s aggression, especially when the model was rewarded. ​ Boys were more likely to imitate physical aggression than girls. ○​ Conclusion: ​ Behavior is learned through observation and reinforcement. ​ Highlights the role of modeling in social learning. 3.​ Berry (1967) ○​ Key Concept: Cultural conformity. ○​ Aim: Investigate how cultural dimensions influence conformity. ○​ Procedure: ​ Participants from individualist cultures (e.g., Inuit) and collectivist cultures (e.g., Temne of Sierra Leone) completed an Asch-style conformity task. ​ Participants were given incorrect information about other group members' answers. ○​ Findings: ​ Participants from collectivist cultures showed higher conformity rates than those from individualist cultures. ○​ Conclusion: ​ Cultural dimensions, such as individualism and collectivism, influence behavior.