Psychology 304:
Brain and Behaviour
Lecture 1
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International Service Learning Course: May-October, 2013
Psychology 417A: Psychology and Developing Societies
• Instructor: Dr. Sunaina Assanand.
• June-August: 10 week placement in Africa.
July: Mid-placement reflection sessions.
• ARCAAP funding available to psychology majors for
70-100% of travel costs.
• Application due in term 1.
• Application and information available on Go Global’s
website after September 17.
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Introductory Concepts and Research Methods
1. What is biological psychology?
2. What is the relation between biological psychology and
other disciplines of neuroscience?
3. What techniques do biological psychologists use to
assess the structure and function of the nervous
system?
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Learning Objectives
• A list of the knowledge or abilities that you should acquire
from the information discussed in each class period.
• Use as a diagnostic tool to monitor your progress.
• Create essay questions from the learning objectives to
assess your mastery.
• Construct learning objectives for the assigned readings.
They may reflect chapter headings/subheadings,
terminology/key concepts, theoretical assertions, and
research findings.
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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:
1. define the term “biological psychology.”
2. describe neuroscientific disciplines related to biological
psychology.
3. review the staining techniques that researchers use
to examine nerve cells
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What is biological psychology?
• A branch of neuroscience.
• The scientific study of the biological basis of psychological
experience and behaviour.
• Also referred to as biopsychology, behavioural
neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, psychobiology,
and behavioural biology.
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What is the relation between biological psychology
and other disciplines of neuroscience?
• Biological psychology draws upon research findings
from many other disciplines of neuroscience:
 Neuroanatomy
 Neuroendocrinology
 Neurophysiology
 Neuropathology
 Neurochemistry
 Neuropharmacology
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What techniques do biological psychologists use to assess
the structure and function of the nervous system?
• Biological psychologists use a variety of techniques to
assess the structure and function of the nervous system:
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1. Autopsy
 Allows researchers to examine nervous system
structures that are too difficult to access using
alternative techniques.
 Involves examination of the body after death.
 Example: INAH-3 in gay vs. straight males (LeVay,
1991).
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2. Histology
 Allows researchers to observe the structure, organization,
and connections of individual nerve cells.
 Nerve tissue is “fixed” by freezing or treatment with
formalin.
 Once fixed, the tissue is sliced, mounted onto glass
slides, stained, and examined under a microscope.
 Examples:
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Golgi stain
Nissl stain
Myelin stain
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Introductory Concepts and Research Methods
1. What is biological psychology?
2. What is the relation between biological psychology and
other disciplines of neuroscience?
3. What techniques do biological psychologists use to
assess the structure and function of the nervous
system?
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