Biopsychology

What is Biopsychology?

Also known as behavioral neuroscience, biopsychology is the field of psychology that combines traditional psychological ideas with modern knowledge of the brain and nervous system. It is the basis of what psychologists refer to as the “biological perspective” – that is, the idea that insights into human behaviors, thoughts, and feelings can be gained by studying biological attributes such as anatomy, genetics, and physiology. Biopsychologists study the effect of things like hormones, brain structures, genes, and neurotransmitters. This field is closely related to neuroscience, but tends to study higher-order functions such as memory, learning, perception, and emotions (the traditional domain of psychology), rather than cellular and molecular functions, which are more the domain of neuroscience.

Biopsychology helps shed light on nearly all areas of psychology, but is particularly useful in evolutionary and cross-cultural psychology, since it effectively “controls for” cultural variables. In other words, scientists generally agree that a person from Korea, a person from Zimbabwe, and a person from Florida will all be essentially the same biologically; any psychological differences between them, therefore, are likely to be either individual personality traits or learned cultural behaviors. So biopsychology can help us to discern which elements of our psychology are innate, genetically determined, and universal to all humans, and which are the result of individual or cultural variation. Of course, there are many scientists who believe that cultural traits can actually change our biology (the brains of children who grow up in literate societies, for example, are physically somewhat different from the brains of those who grow up without learning how to read), and this adds a layer of complexity to the question. It is essentially a form of the nature vs. nurture question, one of the oldest in human intellect, and biopsychology is one of the fields that try to deal with that question.

Who Should Study Biopsychology?

Nearly all psychologists, especially in recent years, have been expected to be familiar with the biological underpinnings of their discipline. While early psychologists were like philosophers, interested in theoretical questions to which the answers were largely speculative, the psychologists of today are more like research scientists, and so an understanding of human biopsychology is essential. No matter what your specialization, you will probably take at least one course in biopsychology or behavioral neuroscience, and many of your other courses will apply the “biological perspective” made possible by this area of research.

But although most have studied biopsychology, comparatively very few make it the centerpiece of their career. Biopsychology is a highly academic sub-discipline within psychology: unlike developmental psychology, for example, which has immediate practical applications for parents and teachers, biopsychology is less likely to be directly applicable in the real world. It is, however, an essential foundation for the study of all other areas of psychology, and this makes it a highly relevant and attractive field for those who are interested in research careers. If you are interested in psychology because you are fascinated by the questions that it raises and excited about the prospect of pushing the limits of human knowledge, biopsychology is a great place to start; if, on the other hand, you prefer to work hands-on, applying psychological concepts in your work but leaving the research to others, you may want to look for a different field.

The History of Biopsychology

Because the discipline of psychology had yet to be independently established, many of the earliest psychologists (Freud, Pavlov, etc.) were doctors interested in treating neuro-psychological disorders. For that reason—and because of simple common sense—a knowledge of the brain has always been considered essential for a knowledge of the mind. The American psychologist and philosopher William James said near the end of the 19^th century that the First Principle of Psychology was that some reference to the brain had to be included in any psychological theory—otherwise, it was too much speculation and not enough science.

The 21^st century has seen an explosion of interest in brain science, particularly among psychologists and philosophers, who feel that some of their most vexing questions can be answered by delving into the hardware of the human intellect. Scientific methods and technology have finally advanced to the point that sophisticated imaging of a living, active brain is now possible. Where once we could only guess and dream about what went on in the minds of others, scientists can now begin to look inside the brain and see. Of course, this technology does not enable us to “read people’s thoughts” (that technology is a long, long, long way off, and many scientists believe it is impossible) but it does give us significant insight into how the human brain works and what makes us think the way we do. These challenging new frontiers are part of what makes biopsychology such an exciting and vibrant field.