Physiological psychology studies the biological basis of behavior, focusing on the brain’s electrical and chemical functions. It uses various techniques, including brain imaging and animal research, to study different psychological phenomena. Animal testing is a controversial ethical issue in this field.
Physiological psychology is a branch of psychology that deals with the biological basis of behavior, as opposed to social influences on behavior. It is also known as biological psychology, biopsychology or psychobiology and is closely related to neuroscience. Physiological psychologists study the electrical and chemical functions and activities of the brain and how they relate to a person’s mental experience and behavior. This branch of psychology is an approach to psychological research, which is used to study many different psychological phenomena.
There are a number of areas of interest within physiological psychology. Most research focuses on the brain and the reactions that take place at the neurological level. Early in the field’s development, sensation and perception took center stage, such as the brain’s response to familiar odors. Neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are often studied by physiological psychologists, including the development of psychiatric drugs that address chemical imbalances in the brain.
Some subjects commonly thought of as purely social can be studied from the point of view of physiological psychology. Mirror neuron research, for example, helps explain how people empathize with other people. Mirror neuron research looks at how neurons in a brain are fired when that person or animal is watching someone else perform a behavior that activates those same neurons. This is useful for helping people who struggle with social interaction, such as people with autism.
Many different techniques are used in physiological psychology. Machines for imaging the brain, such as in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are often used to study the physical structures and functional activity of the brain. Other methods include electrodes on the head that monitor brain activity or wires inserted into the brains of animals that stimulate different brain structures. People who have suffered brain damage are often studied to determine which part of the brain was damaged and the corresponding effects of the damage on the person’s behavior.
Surgery is sometimes used in this branch of psychological research, particularly in animal research, but also in humans undergoing brain surgery for other conditions, such as cancer or epilepsy. Surgeons investigate the effects of stimulating or damaging a given brain structure on behavior and, in the case of human brain surgery patients, on a person’s subjective experience. Surgery is less used in this field as accurate and non-invasive brain imaging techniques have become available.
Animal research is a controversial ethical issue in physiological psychology. Animal testing is very important to a large amount of research in this area and can produce research results that help many people. Ethical guidelines for the care and treatment of research animals must be followed by researchers, but animal suffering continues to occur even when minimized. Animal rights groups in particular may object to the use of animals in this research.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
