The biological approach to

psychology

ORIGINS AND HISTORY

Sometimes known as the physiological,

biopsychological, neurophysiological, nativist (considering nature rather than nurture ) or innate approach.

The biological approach to psychological

matters has integrated with and run parallel to the rest of psychological thought since early Greek times-the Greek physician Galen suggested that personality and temperament may be linked to levels of body fluids such as blood and bile in the body.

As knowledge of human anatomy, physiology,

biochemistry,

and

medicine

developed,

important insights for human behaviour and experience were gained. Penfield for example mapped the role of various areas of the cerebral cortex through microelectrode stimulation with conscious patients. Sperry investigated the effects of splitting the cerebral hemispheres on consciousness and psychological function. The field will progress still further as the

technology to isolate the effects of genes and scan the living brain develops.

ASSUMPTIONS

Biologically orientated psychologists assume

心理学的生物学研究方法

起源与历史

这种方法有时被认为是生理学的、生理心理

学的、神经生理学的、先天的（即自然得到的而不是后天获得的）或本能的研究方法。

心理学的生物学研究方法已经与希腊早期以

来的思想融合而且并行存在，希腊医生盖伦认为人的个性和气质可能与体液水平（如血液和胆汁在体内的水平）相关联。

伴随人体解剖学、生理学、生化学和医学知

识的发展，人类对自身的行为和经验有了重要的见解。例如Penfield通过微电极刺激有意识的患者绘制出了大脑皮质的不同区域的作用，佩斯里调查研究 大脑两半球的分裂对意识和心理功能的影响。

随着旨在杜绝基因的影响并能审视活体大脑

的技术的发展，这一领域会取得更大的进步。

理论假设

生物学取向的心理学家假定：

that all

that

is

psychological

is

first

physiological-that is since the mind appears to reside in the brain, all thoughts, feelings and behaviours

ultimately

have

a

physical/biological cause.

human genes have evolved over millions of

years to adapt behaviour to the environment. Therefore, much behaviour will have a genetic basis.

psychology should, therefore investigate the

brain,

nervous

system,

endocrine

system ,neurochemistry, and genes

it is also useful to study why human behaviour

has evolved in the way it has, the subject of evolutionary /sociobiological theory.

METHODS OF INVESTIGATION

The biological approach mainly adopts a nomothetic approach to generalise biological influences on behaviour to all humans with similar physiology, but finds the use of particular ‘special case studies ‘ very useful.

Most common techniques include

laboratory experimentation-stimulating, giving

drugs to, or removing parts of the body to see what effect it has on behaviour

laboratory observations-controlled observations

of physical processes , e.g. Sleep

所有心理的东西首先起源于生理的，这是因

为，自从人类意识在大脑中出现，所有的思维、情感和行为举止最终都可以归结为生理/生物学的原因。

人类基因已经过数百万年的进化演变来使人

的行为适应环境，因而，人类许多行为都有基因基础。

因此，心理学应该研究大脑、神经系统、内

分泌系统、神经化学和遗传学。

它对于研究为什么人类的行为以这种方式进

化、对进化论和社会生物学理论都是很有用的。

调查研究方法

生理取向的的研究方法主要是采用一般规律的研究方法来归纳出对所有具有相似生理特征的人来说影响其行为的生物性因素，但是他们发现使用“特殊案例”的研究方法是很有用的。

大多数常见的技术包括：

实验室实验法——实验刺激、药物、或者摘

除身体的某部位来观察它们对行为有什么样的影响。

实验室观察法——控制观察人的生理过程，

例如：睡眠

AREAS OF EXPLANATION

Biopsychological researchers have contributed to an understanding of

gender development –e.g. the influence of

genetic and hormonal predispositions on gender behaviour and identity

aggression –e.g. investigating the role of the

limbic system

abnormality –e.g.the dopamine hypothesis and

enlarged ventricle theory of schizophrenia memory –e.g. brain scans of areas involved

during memory tests or the effect of brain damage on memory

motivation –e.g. the role of hypothalamus in

homeostasis

awareness –e.g. biological theories of sleep,

dreams,and body rhythms

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Biopsychology ‘s main applications have been to localisation of function –e.g. the effect on

behaviour of brain damage to certain areas such as language control centres on the left side of the brain

therapy – such drug treatment, psychosurgery,

or electroconvulsive therapy for mental disorders such as schizophrenia or depression.

解释的领域

生理心理学研究者在对以下知识的理解方面做出了较大贡献：

性别发展——例如：基因和荷尔蒙对性别行

为和同一性的影响

攻击——例如：研究边缘系统在攻击行为中

的作用

变态——例如： …… 此处隐藏：3295字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……