Amber Arnott, Fairfax Highschool 11th Grade
Do you ever wonder if psychology is biological? Biology is relevant to everyone, meaning that the physiology of the brain, the central nervous systems, biochemistry, and genetics are all connected through our biology. In the biological approach to behavior, we must go into depth about the brain’s biochemistry, consisting of neurotransmitters and hormones, which have been evaluated through case studies to see their effect on one’s behavior. For example, the case study of Phineas Gage concludes a railroad construction foreman who survived a severe brain injury when an iron rod accidentally penetrated his skull,damaging his frontal lobes.
The frontal lobes include neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which control mood regulation,impulse control, and behavior with other people. This damage then led to a change in Phineas Gage’s behavior, as he became more aggressive in the workplace, using profanity, throwing fits,and unwilling to work with his coworkers. People even started to state that he was “no longer Gage.”
This case was not just a miracle but also a turning point in the study of the brain and its relationship to a person’s personality, influencing the future of psychology. One of the techniques used to study the brain in relation to behavior is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),which was conducted on Phineas Gage. The MRI is used to identify brain damage or any abnormalities, but it also can map out brain activity when performing specific tasks. The brain activity patterns are then compared between different participants, such as Phineas Gage being compared to an uninjured brain. However, the technique of using magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) to study the brain in relation to behavior does have its limitations.
An MRI can only tell us about the structure, such as the size and shape of different parts of the brain or particular lesions in the brain. We can’t look at the function of the brain’s different parts that are active at different times, which is why functional magnetic resonance imaging is very useful. In essence,fMRI allows scientists to link specific brain activities to behaviors, enhancing our understanding of how the brain supports various cognitive functions and how it may differ in various psychological conditions. Biological psychology helps us understand how our physical bodies,especially our brains, influence our mental processes and behaviors.
