The material here was originally published in IB Psychology: A Student’s Guide. Males are more aggressive than females in almost every species. Why is this? One possible reason could be in the influence of the male sex hormone, testosterone. Testosterone is produced in the testes of males, which could be why males are more aggressive than females. While it is also …
Key Study: Serotonin, tryptophan and the brain (Passamonti et al., 2012)
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has been correlated with numerous behaviours, including impulsive aggression, antisocial behaviour and violence. One reason for this correlation could be the effect that depleted serotonin levels could have on important parts of the brain when we perceive emotional stimuli. To test the effects of serotonin depletion on the brain, Passamonti et al. (2012) asked one …
What is a pheromone?
A pheromone is a chemical messenger that is passed from one individual to another which has an effect on the receiving individual. One technical definition offered for pheromones is that they are “…substances which are secreted to the outside by an individual and received by a second individual of the same species, in which they release a specific reaction, for example, …
Example Essay: Technological Techniques
I’ve been playing around a bit with scaffolding for essay writing, and from what I’ve found, a general guideline for essay structure is as follows: Introduction Core argument Supporting evidence (min. 2 x studies). Counter argument Conclusion Of course, this is just a template and sometimes the structure varies. For example, you might have one study supporting the core argument …
Key Study: Decision Making, Iowa Gambling and the vmPFC (Bechara et al., 2000).
Context Before reading about this study it’s important to recap the dual processing model of judgement and decision making. According to Kahneman (and others) we have two systems of processing information. System one is fast and unconscious, while system two is slower and considers more factors. The system of processing we use will affect our judgement, which in turn will …
The Story of Phineas Gage
Important Note: Phineas Gage is an interesting way to learn about the relationship between the frontal lobe and our behaviour. However, there are many other studies that we use in this course to demonstrate important concepts like localization of brain function. Therefore, Gage should not be used in exam answers. The story… Phineas Gage was a railroad worker who was …
Biological Approach: Sample Exam Questions
With the new curriculum and the loss of the LOs, many teachers may be wondering about what the exam questions will be like. The answer is: much like the old ones. If you look at all the topics in the biological approach they are all related to the understanding of how variables can influence behaviour. The exam questions will reflect …
The Frontal Lobe and the Prefrontal Cortex
Numerous studies have shown that there are correlations found between brain function (or dysfunction) and behaviour. In order to fully understand these studies, it’s important to have a general understanding of some of the functions of important parts of the brain. The frontal lobe is an important part of the brain to understand. One important function of the frontal lobe is …
Key Study: Moral Dilemmas – The Trolley and the Footbridge
Note: This was in a first draft of our textbook IB Psychology: A Student’s Guide but was later removed because of it’s complexity in nature, and the fact that it doesn’t thread as well as other studies on system one and two decision making. Morality and Decision Making The prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in executive functions, also known as …
Key Study: Moral judgement and the prefrontal cortex (Ciaramelli, et al)
This study helps to explain how dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex might make people more susceptible to violent and/or impulsive behaviours. Similar to the VHIS, Ciaramelli et al investigated the differences between moral judgements in people with damage to their prefrontal cortex and healthy controls. Their study cites existing research that suggests people with damage to their PFC have “high levels of …
Key Study: Testosterone,the Brain and Aggression (Goetz et al, 2014)
Background Information Many studies have shown that testosterone can influence levels of aggression. But there haven’t been many studies that show exactly how testosterone may cause aggressive behaviours. The amygdala is a part of the brain associated with emotional response and it prepares our body for fight or flight. Goetz et al hypothesized that testosterone might influence the activity (or reactivity) of the …
Biological Research Methods Example Essay (ERQ)
The following is an example essay about research methods used in the biological approach. It is by no means a perfect essay, but it would score well (14-16/22). The use of a human study instead of Rosenzweig would be one improvement, for example. Example Essay: Research Methods Biological Approach to Understanding Behaviour Paper One. Part B: Discuss how and why …
Brain Imaging: All About MRI
Background Information The MRI was invented in 1977 and was a major breakthrough in brain research. MRIs can be used for any part of the body and you may have even had one yourself if you’ve suffered from an injury. However, in psychology they are used to study the brain and this is what our focus will be on. MRIs …
Exam Tips: Research methods in the biological approach
Understanding research methodology in psychology can be difficult. Hopefully this post will help make things a little clearer. When understanding any topic in psychology, I like to use a basic “What-How-Why” approach. This works particularly well for research methods. Read more: Exam Tips: How to write a research methods essay Lesson idea: Understanding research methods (with worksheet) Biological Approach Research …
Genetics and Ethics
Make sure you have the key questions, learning targets and glossary for this topic. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS Whenever you are asked to discuss ethical considerations of any study, you should first remember the APA guidelines we covered during our research work. These are ethical issues when studying humans such as: deception, informed consent, debriefing, confidentiality and right to withdraw. (For genetics …
The Evolution of Attraction
See Chapter 5 of “IB Psychology: A Student’s Guide” for more information. This topic requires you to explain one evolutionary theory of a specific behaviour. One behaviour we look at in my course is sexual attraction because humans have evolved to find certain characteristics of the opposite gender attractive. The characteristics or traits, that are attractive, are those that will …
An Introduction to Brain Imaging
Discuss the use of brain imaging technologies in investigating the relationship between biological factors and behaviour. Three of the important brain imaging technologies you should know about are: MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Discuss the use of, means you can write about a range of issues relating to the use of technology. For example …
Cortisol and Memory
Here’s an interesting study that investigates the impact of cortisol levels of memory encoding and recall. Travis DixonTravis Dixon has been teaching for over 20 years and is an experienced IB Psychology, History and English teacher, author, workshop leader and examiner
Cortisol
This article is a good starting point for learning about the role of cortisol in human behaviour. Travis DixonTravis Dixon has been teaching for over 20 years and is an experienced IB Psychology, History and English teacher, author, workshop leader and examiner
Melatonin, SAD and the Circadian Rhythm
Melatonin and SAD Here’s a video that defines SAD and gives some symptoms of this disorder. If you are to explain how melatonin can cause SAD, you need to know the symptoms. This is also applicable to the GLT that focuses on how our environment can affect our physiology and how that can in turn affect our behaviour. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVJYojGonxA] …
Oxytocin and Bonding
Here’s an article with some interesting research regarding the role of oxytocin in bonding between fathers and their children. You’ll be able to find even more information about the functions of oxytocin in human behaviour by reading this article. Don’t forget that you need to know supporting research. If you are interested in how this hormone can influence bonding and …
Introduction to Localization of Brain Function
Localization of brain function simply means that different areas of the brain (i.e. locations) are associated with different behaviours and mental processes (functions). For example, Our hippocampus plays a role in memory. The prefrontal cortex is associated with decision making, planning and controlling our impulsive behaviours. The amygdala plays a role in emotion and emotional response. These are just some …
Introduction to Neurotransmission
Neurotransmission is the process by which neurotransmitters are fired from one neuron to another. It’s important that you can explain how varying levels of neurotransmitters in the nervous system (e.g. in the brain) can have an impact on our behaviour. Here’s a quick preview of neurotransmission: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNaFnRKwpFk] You should be able to outline the causes of neurotransmission and the changes …
Hormones: An Introduction
Hormones and the Endocrine system Another key biological factor in understanding behaviour is the endocrine system. Neurons are what make up our nervous systems; glands are what make up our endocrine system. The endocrine system, therefore, is the name given to the various glands throughout the body that regulate and release hormones. You may already be familiar with hormones from …
Serotonin and Violence
Serotonin and Violence Levels of neurotransmitters in the brain can influence behaviour, so it’s plausible to think that in the criminal brain there may be some abnormalities in neurotransmitter levels. Numerous research studies have shown that violent criminals do in fact tend to have low levels of serotonin (e.g. Moi and Jessel, 1995; Scerbo and Raine, 1993). Studies have also …