Psychology Express: Biological Psychology

225 Pages·2012·3.882 MB·English

by  Emma Preece

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Prepare for exams and Q Sample question Essay g
coursework using sample i
Critically evaluate the risks to development during the prenatal period c
questions and assessment advice a
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Make your answer stand out Maximise your marks y
It is really easy to fall into the trap of simply describing a numbaern ofd te raatpogpenrs oach exams with c
and how they affect human development during the prenatal period. A good h
answer will remember to take a critical stance, evaluating the imcpoacnt ofif dthee nce o
risk for later development and will focus clearly on psychological aspects of
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development including cognitive, social and emotional. Linking your evaluation o > UNDERSTAND QUICKLY
to what you know about other periods of development will demonstrate
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your ability to synthesise the information you have learnt. Evaluating the
methodological approaches of any research studies cited will also make your y
> REVISE EFFECTIVELY
answer stand out.
> TAKE EXAMS WITH CONFIDENCE
Quickly grasp
KEY STUDY
key research and
methodological issues Mattson, S. N., et al. (2010) Toward a neurobehavioral profile of fetal
alcohol spectrum disorders. Alcoholism, Clinical & Expimental Research,
34(9), 1640–50
Excessive prenatal alcohol exposure can result in a number of developmental
difficulties including problems with cognitive functioning and behaviour. However
not all infants exposed to large amounts of alcohol prenatally go on to develop
FAS. A primary goal of recent research is to enable better and quicker diagnosis of
problems in alcohol exposed infants to enable more timely interventions. The study
by Mattson and colleagues is a good example of recent work which has attempted to
use neuropsychological data to develop a battery of tests to identify and differentiate
FAS. The researchers were able to distinguish children with FAS from a control group
not exposed to alcohol prenatally with 92% accuracy. More importantly they were able Biological
to distinguish children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure but without FAS and non-
exposed controls with 84.7% accuracy. Overall the neuropsychological test battery was
more successful at distinguishing the groups than IQ testing. Measures of executive
function and spatial processing were found to be especially sensitive to prenatal alcohol
exposure.
Psychology
Use the subject-specifi c companion website to test
your knowledge, try out sample exam questions and
view guided answers, and keep up to date with the
latest study advice
Emma Preece
£12.99
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> UNDERSTAND QUICKLY r
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> REVISE EFFECTIVELY c ONLINE REVISION SUPPORT
e www.pearsoned.co.uk/psychologyexpress
> TAKE EXAMS WITH CONFIDENCE
> Test questions > Essay writing guidance > Flashcards and more
www.pearson-books.com
www.pearson-books.com/psychologyexpress
Cover image © Getty Images
CVR_PREE7223_01_SE_CVR.indd 1 14/11/2011 11:09
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Biological Psychology
The PsychologyExpress series
 Understand qUickly
 revise effectively
 take exams with confidence
‘All of the revision material I need in one place – a must for psychology undergrads.’
Andrea Franklin, Psychology student at Anglia Ruskin University
‘Very useful, straight to the point and provides guidance to the student, while helping
them to develop independent learning.’
Lindsay Pitcher, Psychology student at Anglia Ruskin University
‘Engaging, interesting, comprehensive . . . it helps to guide understanding and boosts
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‘Very useful . . . bridges the gap between Statistics textbooks and Statistics
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and practice questions and would feel more confident knowing exactly what to revise
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guide for students as well as providing a good opportunity for novel forms of
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Unreservedly, yes.’
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‘A brilliant revision guide, very helpful for students of all levels.’
Svetoslav Georgiev, Psychology student at Anglia Ruskin University
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Biological
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Psychology
Emma Preece
University of Worcester
Series editor:
Dominic Upton
University of Worcester
Pearson Education Limited
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First published 2012
© Pearson Education Limited 2012
The right of Emma Preece to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
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ISBN 978-0-273-73722-3
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
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15 14 13 12
Typeset in 9.5/12.5pt Avenir Book by 30
Printed in Great Britain by Henry Ling Ltd, at the Dorset Press, Dorchester, Dorset
contents
Acknowledgements vii
Introduction ix
Guided tour xii
Guided tour of the companion website xiv
Key research studies xvi
1 Introduction to biopsychology: origins, approaches
and applications 1
2 Structure and function of the central and peripheral
nervous systems 25
3 The endocrine system: hormones and behaviour 47
4 Biological basis of language 63
5 Mechanisms of perception and sensation 81
6 Biological mechanisms of sleep and dreaming 99
7 Biological aspects of emotion 119
8 The biology of learning and memory 135
9 Biological basis of psychological abnormality 151
And finally, before the exam . . . 177
Glossary 181
References 190
Index 201
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[Page vi -- Post-TOC web box]
supporting resources
[COPY TO COME]
Visit www.pearsoned.co.uk/psychologyexpress to find valuable
online resources.
Companion website for students
 Get help in organising your revision: download and print topic maps and
revision checklists for each area.
 Ensure you know the key concepts in each area: test yourself with
flashcards. You can use them online, print them out or download to an
iPod.
 Improve the quality of your essays in assignments and exams: use the
sample exam questions, referring to the answer guidelines for extra help.
 Practise for exams: check the answers to the Test your knowledge
sections in this book and take additional tests for each chapter.
 Go into exams with confidence: use the You be the marker exercises to
consider sample answers through the eyes of the examiner.
Also: The companion website provides the following features:
M Search tool to help locate specific items of content.
M E-mail results and profile tools to send results of quizzes to instructors.
M Online help and support to assist with website usage and troubleshooting.
For more information please contact your local Pearson Education sales
representative or visit www.pearsoned.co.uk/psychologyexpress
vi
acknowledgements
author’s acknowledgements
Thanks are due firstly to the editor Professor Dominic Upton for giving me the
opportunity to write this text. Thank you to Dr Jonathan Catling for his support
during the writing process and to Mr Lee Badham who designed most of the
artwork. Special thanks are also due to my family, Angela Huddart, Michelle
Hallard, Catherine Moreland, Charlotte Taylor, Helena Darby, Carole Hender,
Gemma Taylor, Tracey Price, Laura Scurlock-Evans, Emma Jackson, Chris
Leck, Daniel Kay and all other friends and colleagues for their support and
encouragement.
series editor’s acknowledgments
I am grateful to Janey Webb and Jane Lawes at Pearson Education for their
assistance with this series. I would also like to thank Penney, Francesca, Rosie
and Gabriel for their dedication to psychology.
Dominic Upton
Publisher’s acknowledgements
Our thanks go to all the reviewers who contributed to the development of this
text, including students who participated in research and focus groups which
helped to shape the series format.
Dr Paul Hitchcott, Southampton Solent University
Dr Minna Lyons, Liverpool Hope University
Dr Deaglan Page, Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Jonathon Reay, Northumbria University
Dr Julia Robertson, Buckinghamshire New University
Dr Mark Scase, De Montfort University
Dr Sonia Tucci, University of Liverpool
Student reviewer:
Katie Towers, Psychology student at Anglia Ruskin University
vii

introduction
Not only is psychology one of the fastest growing subjects to study at university
worldwide, it is also one of the most exciting and relevant subjects. Over the
past decade the scope, breadth and importance of psychology have developed
considerably. Important research work from as far afield as the UK, Europe,
USA and Australia has demonstrated the exacting research base of the topic
and how this can be applied to all manner of everyday issues and concerns.
Being a student of psychology is an exciting experience – the study of mind and
behaviour is a fascinating journey of discovery. Studying psychology at degree
level brings with it new experiences, new skills and knowledge. As the Quality
Assurance Agency (QAA, 2010) has stressed:
psychology is distinctive in the rich and diverse range of attributes it develops – skills
which are associated with the humanities (e.g. critical thinking and essay writing) and
the sciences (hypotheses-testing and numeracy). (QAA, 2010, p. 5)
Recent evidence suggests that employers appreciate the skills and knowledge
of psychology graduates, but in order to reach this pinnacle you need to
develop your skills, further your knowledge and most of all successfully
complete your degree to your maximum ability. The skills, knowledge and
opportunities acquired during your psychology degree will give you an edge
in the employment field. The QAA stresses the high level of employment skills
developed during a psychology degree:
due to the wide range of generic skills, and the rigour with which they are taught,
training in psychology is widely accepted as providing an excellent preparation for many
careers. In addition to subject skills and knowledge, graduates also develop skills in
communication, numeracy, teamwork, critical thinking, computing, independent learning
and many others, all of which are highly valued by employers. (QAA, 2010, p. 2)
This book is part of the comprehensive new series, Psychology Express, that
helps you achieve these aspirations. It is not a replacement for every single
text, journal article, presentation and abstract you will read and review during
the course of your degree programme. It is in no way a replacement for your
lectures, seminars or additional reading. A top-rated assessment answer is likely
to include considerable additional information and wider reading – and you
are directed to some of these in this text. This revision guide is a conductor:
directing you through the maze of your degree by providing an overview of your
course, helping you formulate your ideas, and directing your reading.
Each book within Psychology Express presents a summary coverage of the
key concepts, theories and research in the field, within an explicit framework
of revision. The focus throughout all of the books in the series will be on how
you should approach and consider your topics in relation to assessment and
exams. Various features have been included to help you build up your skills and
ix