PSYC 305 AMU Week 3 Biological Influence on Psychology Paper

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Humanities

PSYC 305

American Military University

PSYC

Description

This week we examine the history of the physiological influence within psychology, including the concept of psychophysics and Galton’s genetics.

Watch the Thin Brains and Depression video at https://youtu.be/CooVrDohGuc.

Discuss the ways in which the understanding of biology has affected and continues to affect the practice of psychology today. What are the advantages and controversies surrounding this understanding?

Include at least three everyday examples that you have observed. Try to avoid being too general or providing "just common sense" examples which anybody might know without taking this course. Link the everyday examples to concepts from your assigned readings to date. For each example, provide media content (video web links, charts or graphs etc.) to further illustrate your point.

Minimum 300 words answer

In your peer responses, please reflect on how your peer’s choices, examples, etc. are similar or different from your choices.

Classmate #1:

Hello everyone I hope you all are having a great week 3, and hope you all are staying as safe as you can with this Corona Virus going around.

Biology and Psychology

A deep understanding of psychology cannot take place without understanding how biological influences affect human behavior. Behavior is a factor of not only nurture but also nature. This implies that an understanding of biological influences such as the immune system, the brain, and hormones can play a critical role in shaping behavior.

For instance, an understanding of a person’s immune system can play a big role in determining what kind of physical and mental illnesses a person is most likely to acquire. Thus, it is not uncommon to find children and the elderly being more prone to diseases such as influenza and pneumonia unlike teenagers and young adults. This is attributable to the fact that such persons do not have a well-developed immune system or have a diminishing immune system.

In the same way, it is possible to find people with certain biological/physical features being prone to certain mental/psychological disorders. For instance, from the video, it is clear that people with a thinner right cortex in the brain are more susceptible to depression than people with thicker cortexes. As is the case of Cynthia, this is not dependent on genetics alone as people without a history of family members suffering from depression can also suffer from depression as long as they have thinner cortexes.

Genetics also play a big role especially when it comes to levels of understanding and IQ. Many psychologists agree that genetics accounts for almost 70% of the differences between individual IQ scores. This illustrates that genetics as a biological factor plays a critical role in determining the intelligent quotient in different individuals.

Reference

Brains and Depression. Available at:

Classmate #2:

Good evening Class,

Biology applied to the brain has completely changed the study of psychology. This greater understanding of biopsychology has been very useful for developing treatments for various mental health problems from seasonal depression to schizophrenia. Medication has become a lot more effective as researchers have learned the functions of the many neurotransmitters and their role in mental health, quite effective pharmaceutical remedies have been used to great overall great success, especially compared to previous times. Pills aren't the only method based on biopsychology that can provide relief for mental health challenges. Researchers learned the role sunlight plays in seasonal affective disorder and now many people with the disorder use blue lights or go tanning during the darker months of the year( here is a good youtube video on the subject https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xHOEL00GRs). Dieticians are still learning ways in which diets can help prevent some symptoms of mood disorders, anxiety, and ADHD. Exercise is commonly prescribed for people with the same illnesses based once again on biopsychology. The study of genetics has been an important part of the study of biopsychology. Genetic information has helped us better understand addiction and why family members often suffer from the same disorders. part of biopsychology is the use of brain imaging scans to research the functionality of the brain. As the lesson mentioned people like Dr. Amen have been able to apply scanned imaging to ADHD in order to provide more accurate diagnostic information.

There are a couple of controversies that come along with the study of biopsychology. One reason is that is further separates psychology as a science and non-science. This can be problematic because ceratin aspects of psychology simply can't be studied through the use of empirical evidence making the study of psychology more controversial since there is a question as to what qualifies as psychology. Another controversy could be how addiction is understood since it has been commonly considered a moral failing but new research shows just how complicated it actually it.

Have an excellent week everyone!

Classmate #3:

Hello Class,

Discuss the ways in which the understanding of biology has affected and continues to affect the practice of psychology today.
Understanding how a healthy brain works help psychologist and researchers understand how an unhealthy brain works. While not everything is understood about mental health issues understanding biology has increased the knowledge of mental health. Having a better understanding of how mental health affects the brain allows psychologists to improve the services they provide.
Biology has brought many positives to psychology such as useful therapeutic services and medications that are effective. An example of this is anxiety. The understanding of anxiety has come a long way over the years as scientists understand how the brain works. Those who suffer from anxiety tend to have overactive adrenal glands. So, the person who is suffering from this illness is always in fight or flight mode. When the person is in this mode the heart-rate increases as well as the blood pressure. This is the feeling of anxiety some people suffer from.
Understanding why and how a person develops anxiety or feels it helps know how to effectively treat the illness. As a person who suffered from anxiety my entire life, I know how important this understanding is. I can gladly say, I have learned how to control my anxiety due to therapy. I learned to control my breathing and thinking in order to keep my heart rate down during stressful times when I felt anxious. Without an understanding of what my body was doing to create this feeling, I would not have been able to stop my medication and feel good.
What are the advantages and controversies surrounding this understanding?
The advantages of understanding biology are that treatment is now more efficient and effective for many mental health issues. The stigma that was put on those who suffer from mental illnesses has lessened as people understand that the people who are suffering are not possessed by demons or something of the sorts. Having a better understanding of what the brain is doing or not doing help others be more accepting of the mentally ill.
A disadvantage I can see is that not everything that works for one person will work for everyone when it comes to mental illness or injury. Though researchers can develop a pretty good understanding of what occurs within the brain there can be other factors at play. For example, had I been an unhealthy living environment during the time I was in therapy I may not have been able to overcome my anxiety issues. So, understanding the brain gives us a good overview, but it does not help with every case and every person.

Another disadvantage I can see is people faking mental illness in order to obtain medications or attention. The more researchers understand the more the public understands and this can lead to people faking mental illness. As crazy as it sounds I know a young lady who does this. She has been in a mental hospital for about 3 years now after many in and outstays. Over the years she has learned more and more about different mental illnesses by watching other patients. She will then mimick those behaviors that she saw gathered the most attention. This has left doctors unable to help her because she is not honest or consistent in her behaviors, thoughts, or symptoms.

References
Jacofsky, M., Santos, M., Khemlani-Patel, S., & Neziroglu, F. (n.d.). Biological Explanations of Anxiety: Part IV. Retrieved from https://www.gracepointwellness.org/1-anxiety-disor...

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Explanation & Answer

Attached.

Running Head: DISCUSSION

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Biological Influence on Psychology
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Date

DISCUSSION

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Biological Influence on Psychology
There are distinct ways in which one can put into thought the topics in psychology. One
of the perspectives of engaging or instead influencing psychology is by the involvement of
biological practices. This is usually involved with the study of the physical, behavioral basis of
humans and animals. Biology is recognized as a significant concept for the application of
psychology as it studies things like; brain, nervous system, genetics, and immune system. For
instance, in a psychological view, someone might see anger as an outcome because of childhood
trauma and unconscious desires (Cherry 2019). However, taking it from a biological perspective,
one might view the aggression as behavior developed and reinforced by punishment.
Another example from a video about Thin Brains and Depression displays that biology
has a direct influence on psychology. Cynthia Amberg is from a family that has a history of
depression. From the scan conducted by the doctors to conclude that it is from the result of extra
thinness of the right side cortex of the brain. Doctors explain that the people that experience
depression show the likelihood of having a thin cortex on both the right and left side of the brain
(Attached video 2009). The effects caused by biological factors have a direct psychological
impact on individuals as they directly alter their behavior.
The advantage of the influence of biology in psychology is that in the case of
dysfunction, biological operations such as surgery can be conducted. This is done by a qualified
physicist who possesses the skills of surgery. An example of the treatment option is from the
YouTube video with the link (Reviewed video 2015). The controversy with this biological
influence in psychology is that there has not been a collective agreement on the main factor that
determines behavior. Both elements are considered to have a specific role to play in behavior
determination hence challenging to come to a common conclusion.

DISCUSSION

3

Reference
Cherry, K. (2019). The role of biological perspective in biology: Retrieved from.
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-biological-perspective-2794878.
Attached video (2009). Thin Brains and Depression: Retrieved from.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CooVrDohGuc&feature=youtu.be.
Reviewed video, (2015). Mental Illness, Treatment Options, and Nucleus Health: Retrieved
from. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lljTljj6...


Anonymous
Really useful study material!

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