Biological psychology studies how physiological processes affect human behavior, assuming an interdependent relationship between mind and body. Avicenna first identified this relationship, in contrast to the dualistic views of Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes. William James and Knight Dunlap advanced the field, which now seeks to improve the lives of those with cognitive impairments and psychiatric disorders by understanding chemical imbalances in the brain.
Biological psychology, also known as behavioral neuroscience and psychobiology, is the study of physiological processes and how they affect human behavior. According to this concept, behavior is inextricably related to somatic or physiological experiences created by the brain’s interpretation of sensory conflict. Thus, biological psychology assumes that the mind and body have an interdependent relationship and that behavior is fueled by sensory perceptions based on physiology.
Avicenna (980-1037 AD), a Persian physician, was the first scientist to discern a relationship between psychology and physiology. This is in contrast to the dualistic point of view held by Plato and Aristotle and, later, by René Descartes. In his work, Meditations on Early Philosophy, Descartes expressed his belief that the mind, which he thought was the seat of emotion, was a separate phenomenon from the biological brain, which had more to do with intelligence. He felt that emotional phenomena, therefore, did not depend on the physical substance of cerebral matter.
During the 19th century, the psychologist William James, in his seminal textbook The Principles of Psychology (19), put forward the idea that psychology should be studied in conjunction with biology. James’s point of view attracted much attention as, in addition to being a psychologist, he had received training in physiology. Another psychologist, Knight Dunlap, advanced the concept of biological psychology by writing the book An Outline of Psychobiology (1890). He also founded and edited the journal Psychobiology.
Through the study of biological psychology, neuroscientists and social scientists hope to improve the quality of life of those who may be suffering from cognitive impairments sometimes accompanied by physical deficits. Therefore, both autism and Alzheimer’s disease are of great interest to biological psychologists. In the case of autism, the afflicted person can experience severe and quite obvious motor disturbances. With Alzheimer’s patients, in addition to possible physical deterioration, cognitive and behavioral abilities become increasingly impaired as the disease progresses.
The field of biological psychology is also concerned with finding solutions to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and clinical depression. Emotions and behaviors are generally believed to be associated with chemical imbalances in the brain and dysfunctional neuron transmission. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring chemicals in the brain that transmit signals between nerve cells. When their action is stopped, it generally has a deleterious effect on a person’s mood. Disruption may cause depression, or auditory and/or visual perceptions, in the case of schizophrenia.
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