PSB-2000 Lecture 1: Chapter 1 Biopsychology as a Neuroscience
Document Summary
Proposed that perceptions, emotions, thoughts, and memories might be produced by the brain. Interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system. Species differences are often more quantitative than qualitative. Studying species w/ frontal lobe & comparing to species w/o frontal lobe. Involve the manipulation of variables by the experimenter. Associations or correlations, but not causal relations, can be drawn. Studies of groups of subjects exposed to conditions in the real world. Focus is on a single individual; often test a hypothesis; not necessarily generalizable. 100 individuals diagnosed with anxiety disorder are given drug x or placebo to combat their anxiety symptoms. 100 individuals walking through a public park are surveyed for their anxiety-like behaviors. 3 healthy individuals who mediate regularly are studied for their response to anxiety-inducing situations. Strengths of one approach compensate for weaknesses of others. Its not the amount of evidence, but the weight or accuracy of the evidence.
