What is biological psychology? Well, biological psychology is the study of physiological processes and how they influence the human conduct and behavior. It is also known as behavioral neuroscience and psychobiology. It involves the scientific study of the biological substrates of behavior and mental states. Read on to know in detail about biological psychology.
According to this thought, human behavior is inextricably related to physiological experiences, which are developed by the brain’s elucidation of sensory impingement. The biological psychology believes that the mind and body are interdependent and have a strong relationship. Our behavior is fueled by the sensory perceptions based on physiology.
In the 19th century, William James, a psychologist, promoted the idea that psychology should be studied in combination with biology. The Principles of Psychology, written by him in 1890 has attracted much attention since. The concept of biological psychology eas also advanced by another psychologist, Knight Dunlap, in his book An Outline of Psychobiology in 1914.
Moving on with the info on biological psychology or psychobiology, the human behavior is tangled with the nervous system. The biological psychologists think it is right to study the functioning of the brain in order to understand behavior. Behavioral neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and neuropsychology follow this approach. This branch of psychology aims to comprehend how the structure and function of the brain are related to specific behavioral and psychological processes. It is mostly concerned with understanding the brain injury in an attempt to work out normal psychological function. Neuroimaging tools are used by scientists to examine which parts of the brain are active during a particular job or task.
With the help of the study of biological psychology, neuroscientists and psychologists hope to improve the quality of life of those people suffering from cognitive disorders which are sometimes followed by physical deficits. For example, the patients of autism and Alzhemier's Disease are of great interest to biological psychologists. In these cases, cognitive and behavioral abilities become more and more weak in addition to possible physical deterioration.
The field of biological psychology is also associated with finding explanations to psychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia and clinical depression. Scientists believe that the emotions and behaviors are linked with the chemical imbalances in the brain, and thus in the dysfunctional conduction of neurons. All these can have a harmful effect on a person’s mood and emotions. It can lead to depression, or auditory and/or visual perceptions.