Tuesday 25 September 2018

How is psychology related to neuroscience?



By: Trish Hinojosa, B.A. in psychology; have worked in social cognition + sys neuroscience labs.

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. A behavior is any directly observable action or reaction, and metal processes include internal processes such as: thinking, feeling, and desiring. Historically, these mental processes could only be observed indirectly. Advancements in neuroscience and neuroimaging have made it possible to look at these internal processes more directly (assuming the scientist has designed a valid experiment)

Importantly, our neurobiology constrains our behaviors and mental processes. Since psychologists aim to explain, predict, and control (e.g., preventing unwanted behaviors and promoting desirable behaviors) psychological phenomenon, an understanding of the neurobiological and neuropharmacological underpinnings of behavior and mental processes can help scientists make better predictions and design better interventions/treatment plans (e.g., targeting the neurological mechanisms or brain networks that underly speech problems in an individual with parkinson disease) . 

When psychology and neuroscience get together, they can tackle the following topics:

  • Psychophysics and Perception
  • Behavior/Systems/Cognition (I personally analyze data from this domain)
  • Plasticity and Neural Development
  • Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
  • Neuropsychopharmacology.
Ultimately, psychology and neuroscience challenge, clarify, and inform one another's theories, hypotheses, and methods. The idea that psychology and neuroscience are completely at odds with one another is a false dilemma.

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