Physiological Psychology
PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Physiological psychology focuses on the relationship between our biological makeup and our behaviour and experiences.
This area of psychology can be very convincing. For example we do know that the structure of our nervous system (including our brains) and the action of chemicals can have an effect on our behaviour.
Some physiological psychologists take a reductionist argument to answer the above question. That is, they argue that behaviour and experiences can be explained in terms of brain structure and chemicals. This reductionist argument has led to such psychologists making great discoveries, for example, in the affect of drugs on mood and behaviour.
However, other psychologists (including many physiological psychologists) take the view that we cannot explain complex human behaviour and experience just in terms of brain structure and chemicals. There are other psychological variables which need to be considered, for example, how we act alone, compared to how we behave in groups.
Maguire
Conclusions:
* That the structure of the brain changes in response to environmental demand. * That the mental map of the city of London is stored in the posteria hippocampi in taxi drivers. * That normal activity can induce changes in the structure of the brain and that this has many implications for rehabilitation after brain injury.
Evaluation
The sample is not representative as it only contains 16 males in each group. Further research would need to include females and left-handed individuals.
This study does not have any serious ethical issues. However, the non-taxi drivers probably were unaware that their brain scans were being used, although they had probably signed a general medical disclaimer at the time of scan. But, using a brain scan as a comparison is not really an issue.
This was a highly controlled experiment, therefore it is replicable. The results are reliable as the expert analysing the
Physiological psychology focuses on the relationship between our biological makeup and our behaviour and experiences.
This area of psychology can be very convincing. For example we do know that the structure of our nervous system (including our brains) and the action of chemicals can have an effect on our behaviour.
Some physiological psychologists take a reductionist argument to answer the above question. That is, they argue that behaviour and experiences can be explained in terms of brain structure and chemicals. This reductionist argument has led to such psychologists making great discoveries, for example, in the affect of drugs on mood and behaviour.
However, other psychologists (including many physiological psychologists) take the view that we cannot explain complex human behaviour and experience just in terms of brain structure and chemicals. There are other psychological variables which need to be considered, for example, how we act alone, compared to how we behave in groups.
Maguire
Conclusions:
* That the structure of the brain changes in response to environmental demand. * That the mental map of the city of London is stored in the posteria hippocampi in taxi drivers. * That normal activity can induce changes in the structure of the brain and that this has many implications for rehabilitation after brain injury.
Evaluation
The sample is not representative as it only contains 16 males in each group. Further research would need to include females and left-handed individuals.
This study does not have any serious ethical issues. However, the non-taxi drivers probably were unaware that their brain scans were being used, although they had probably signed a general medical disclaimer at the time of scan. But, using a brain scan as a comparison is not really an issue.
This was a highly controlled experiment, therefore it is replicable. The results are reliable as the expert analysing the