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Biopsychology applies biological principles to psychology, studying the brain’s role in behavior, emotion, and perception. Researchers explore normal and abnormal physiological function and use medical imaging to learn about the brain. Biopsychologists work in various contexts, including research hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, and must adhere to ethical guidelines when working with human subjects.
Biopsychology is a scientific discipline that applies the principles of biology to understanding psychology. Researchers in this field study topics in neuroscience so they can learn how and why the brain influences emotions. This field of study is quite ancient; Chinese and Middle Eastern scientists were exploring topics that continue to be explored in biopsychology today as early as 800 CE. With the advent of advanced medical imaging techniques and a deeper understanding of the brain in the early 20th century, the field has been revolutionized.
This discipline is also known as physiological psychology or behavioral neuroscience. Researchers study topics such as the brain and central nervous system and the neurotransmitters used to send signals through these systems. Biopsychologists are interested in both normal and abnormal physiological function, studying the diversity of the human brain to learn more about the diversity of human psychology. They use medical imaging studies and a variety of other techniques to learn about the physiology of the human brain.
With an understanding of the brain, a biopsychologist can explore the brain’s role in emotion, perception, thought processes, and behavior. Biopsychology includes a study of how abnormalities in the brain can affect behavior, to learn more about people who struggle with issues like depression. Researchers are also interested in the brain’s adaptive behavior and the extraordinary ways the brain can adapt to challenges.
This field of study has room for a great deal of fascinating research. Biopsychologists can work in a variety of contexts to learn more about human and animal behavior. Some work as instructors, training new generations of people in the field. Others interested in biopsychology may work in pure research and may also be found working at pharmaceutical companies, research hospitals, government agencies, and private organizations promoting a deeper understanding of the brain.
Because biopsychology often involves working with human subjects, it can be controversial. Researchers must work under the guidance of ethics committees when designing experiments, to ensure that their work is conducted ethically and that their subjects operate with informed consent. The practice of obtaining informed consent is a critical aspect of modern scientific research that is designed to address ethical concerns raised in the age of historical experiments where people were unaware of what was happening. Some of these experiments involved highly controversial activities that were later seen as the exploitation and abuse of human subjects, leading to stricter rules on experimental ethics and the development of committees to oversee experimentation.
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