This document provides an overview of the key findings from research studies evaluating the effectiveness of the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. Multiple rigorous studies found that DARE had little to no effect on reducing adolescent drug and alcohol use and failed to achieve its primary goal. However, DARE did have some positive impacts on adolescents' attitudes and knowledge related to substances. Nonetheless, the program was deemed ineffective overall by several government agencies based on the research evidence.

1. Introduction to Psychology

2. Chapter One-What is Psychology-History and Ideas
• the Greek word psyche means soul, and it is often represented as a
butterfly.
• The root ology denotes scientific study of, and psychology refers to the scientific
study of the mind.
• Difference Hypothesis vs Theory
• Hypothesis- a tentative explanation, to explain a phenomenon.
• A scientific theory is a broad explanation or group of explanations for some
aspect of the natural world that is consistently supported by evidence over time.
• It is necessary that any explanation in science be testable, which means that the
phenomenon must be perceivable and measurable.

3. Boundaries of Psychology and Science
• In general, science deals only with matter and energy, that is, those things that
can be measured, and it cannot arrive at knowledge about values and morality.
• The scientific method is also a form of empiricism.
• An empirical method for acquiring knowledge is one based on observation,
including
• experimentation, rather than a method based only on forms of logical argument
or previous authorities.
• It was not until the late 1800s that psychology became accepted as its own
academic discipline. Before this
• time, the workings of the mind were considered under the auspices of philosophy.
(but other influences were often present-Religion, Physics/Astronomy)

4. Skills learned by Psychology Students
• Psychology students are trained in the use of the scientific method
and develop critical thinking skills
• critical thinking skills-the active application of a set of skills to
information for the understanding and evaluation of that information
and includes recognizing internal biases, making use of logical
thinking, asking appropriate questions, and making observations.

5. Beginnings of Psychology
• Psychology is a relatively young science with its experimental roots in the 19th
century, compared, for example, to human physiology, which dates much earlier.
• Two men, working in the 19th century, are generally credited as being the
founders of psychology as a science and academic discipline that was distinct
from philosophy, Wilhelm Wundt and William James.
• Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920) was a German scientist who was the first person to
be referred to as a psychologist. His famous book entitled Principles of
Physiological Psychology was published in 1873.
• Wundt viewed psychology as a scientific study of conscious experience, and he
believed that the goal of psychology was to identify components of
consciousness

6. Wonderful Wundt
• Wundt used introspection (he called it “internal perception”), a process by which
someone examines their own conscious experience as objectively as possible
• He used very specific experimental conditions in which an external stimulus was
designed to produce a scientifically observable (repeatable) experience-Wundt
used repeatable stimuli
• The attempt by Wundt to understand the structure or characteristics of the mind
was known as structuralism. Wundt established his psychology laboratory at the
University at Leipzig in 1879
• an apparatus would record the time to reaction that a subject took to act. Wundt
could measure reaction time to one-thousandth of a second

7. Germans vs. Americans and their ideas
• William James (1842–1910) was the first American psychologist who
espoused a different perspective on how psychology should operate
• As James saw it, psychology’s purpose was to study the function of
behavior in the world, and as such, his perspective was known as
functionalism.
• Functionalism focused on how mental activities helped an organism
fit into its environment.
• functionalists were also more interested in the operation of the
whole mind rather than of its individual parts, which were the focus
of structuralism.

8. Freud and Friends
• Freud (1856–1939) was an Austrian neurologist He worked with Hysteria which
was an ancient diagnosis for disorders, primarily of women with a wide variety
of symptoms, including physical symptoms and emotional disturbances, none of
which had an apparent physical cause.
• Freud theorized that many of his patients’ problems arose from the unconscious
mind. In Freud’s view, the unconscious mind was a repository of feelings and
urges of which we have no awareness.
• According to Freud, the unconscious mind could be accessed through dream
analysis, by examinations of the first words that came to people’s minds, and
through seemingly innocent slips of the tongue. Psychoanalytic theory focuses
on the role of a person’s unconscious, as well as early childhood experiences,
and this particular perspective dominated clinical psychology for several decades

9. Freud and his Critics
• Drew Westen (1998) argues that many of the criticisms of Freud’s ideas are
misplaced, in that they attack his older ideas without taking into account later
writings. Westen also argues that critics fail to consider the success of the broad
ideas that Freud introduced or developed, such as the importance of childhood
experiences in adult motivations, the role of unconscious versus conscious
motivations in driving our behavior, the fact that motivations can cause conflicts
that affect behavior, the effects of mental representations of ourselves and
others in guiding our interactions, and the development of personality over
time. Westen identifies subsequent research support for all of these ideas.
• More modern iterations of Freud’s clinical approach have been empirically
demonstrated to be effective

10. More Germans
• Max Wertheimer (1880–1943), Kurt Koffka (1886–1941), and Wolfgang Kohler
(1887–1967) were three German psychologists who immigrated to the United
States in the early 20th century
• They introduced Gestalt principles. The word Gestalt roughly translates to
“whole;” a major emphasis of Gestalt psychology deals with the fact that
although a sensory experience can be broken down into individual parts, how
those parts relate to each other as a whole is often what the individual responds
to in perception.
• In many ways, this particular perspective would have directly contradicted
Wundt’s ideas of structuralism
• Other researchers had concerns that inner experience may not be a legitimate
subject of scientific inquiry and chose instead to exclusively study behavior, the
objectively observable outcome of mental processes.

11. Pavlov
• Early work in the field of behavior was conducted by the Russian physiologist
Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936).Pavlov studied a form of learning behavior called a
conditioned reflex, in which an animal or human produced a reflex
(unconscious) response to a stimulus and, over time, was conditioned to
produce the response to a different stimulus that the experimenter associated
with the original stimulus. The reflex Pavlov worked with was salivation in
response to the presence of food.
• The salivation reflex could be elicited using a second stimulus, such as a specific
sound, that was presented in association with the initial food stimulus several
times. Once the response to the second stimulus was “learned,” the food
stimulus could be omitted. Pavlov’s “classical conditioning” is only one form of
learning behavior studied by behaviorists.

12. Biology of Learning and Memory
• Classical conditioning UCS CR (UCR)
• CS

13. Americans become Behaviorists
• John B. Watson (1878–1958) was an influential American psychologist ;early
20th century at Johns Hopkins University While Wundt and James were
concerned with understanding conscious experience, Watson thought that the
study of consciousness was flawed. Because he believed that objective analysis
of the mind was impossible, Watson preferred to focus directly on observable
behavior and try to bring that behavior under control.
• This approach of observing and controlling behavior came to be known as
behaviorism. A major object of study by behaviorists was learned behavior and
its interaction with inborn qualities of the organism. Behaviorism commonly
used animals in experiments under the assumption that what was learned using
animal models could, to some degree, be applied to human behavior.
• Behaviorism dominated experimental psychology for several decades, and its
influence can still be felt today

14. Americans become Behaviorists II
• B. F. Skinner (1904–1990) was an American psychologist. Like Watson,
Skinner was a behaviorist, and he concentrated on how behavior was
affected by its consequences. Skinner spoke of reinforcement and
punishment as major factors in driving behavior.
• Skinner developed a chamber that allowed the careful study of the
principles of modifying behavior through reinforcement and punishment.
This device, known as an operant conditioning chamber (or more
familiarly, a Skinner box), has remained a crucial resource for researchers
studying behavior

15. Operant Conditioning
• In classical conditioning the unconditioned stimulus and the
conditioned stimulus are paired and occur regardless of the
subject’s behavior while in operant conditioning the
subject’s response leads to a reinforcer(negative/positive)
or punishment
• Some instances of learning are hard to label (birdsong –delayed imitation)

16. OTHER SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN PSYCHOLOGY
• During the early 20th century, American psychology was dominated by
behaviorism and psychoanalysis.? (pg13)
• But some disliked the reductionism, or simplifying nature, of behaviorism.
• Abraham Maslow (1908–1970) was an American psychologist who is best known
for proposing a hierarchy of human needs in motivating behavior
• Carl Rogers (1902–1987) was also an American psychologist who, like Maslow,
emphasized the potential for good that exists within all people. He used a
therapeutic technique known as client centered therapy
• Client-centered therapy involves the patient taking a lead role in the therapy
session.
• Rogers believed that a therapist needed to display three features to maximize the
effectiveness of this particular approach: unconditional positive regard,
genuineness, and empathy.

18. OTHER SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN PSYCHOLOGY
• By the 1950s, new disciplinary perspectives in linguistics, neuroscience, and
computer science were emerging, and these areas revived interest in the mind
as a focus of scientific inquiry. This particular perspective has come to be
known as the cognitive revolution (Miller, 2003).
• Cognitive Psychology is the area of psychology that focuses on studying
cognitions, or thoughts, and their relationship to our experiences and our
actions.
• European psychology had never really been as influenced by behaviorism as
had American psychology;and thus, the cognitive revolution helped reestablish
lines of communication between European psychologists and their American
counterparts.

19. Contemporary Psychology
• Contemporary psychology is a diverse field represented by the
American Psychological Association (APA).
• There are 56 divisions within the APA, representing a wide variety of
specialties
• The Association for Psychological Science (APS) was founded in 1988
and seeks to advance the scientific orientation of psychology. Its
founding resulted from disagreements between members of the
scientific and clinical branches of psychology within the APA.

20. Biopsychology
• As the name suggests, biopsychology explores how our biology influences
our behavior. While biological psychology is a broad field, many biological
psychologists want to understand how the structure and function of the
nervous system is related to behavior
• The research interests of biological psychologists span a number of
domains, including but not limited to, sensory and motor systems, sleep,
drug use and abuse, ingestive behavior, reproductive behavior,
neurodevelopment, plasticity of the nervous system, and biological
correlates of psychological disorders.
• This interdisciplinary approach is often referred to as neuroscience, of
which biological psychology is a component

21. Central Nervous System (brain & Spinal cord)
VS. Peripheral Nervous system
While biopsychology typically focuses on the immediate causes of behavior based in the physiology of a
human or other animal, evolutionary psychology seeks to study the ultimate biological causes of behavior.

22. OTHER SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN PSYCHOLOGY III
• Developmental psychology is the scientific study of development across a lifespan
and processes related to physical maturation. However, their focus is not limited
to the physical changes associated with aging, as they also focus on changes in
cognitive skills, moral reasoning, social behavior, and other psychological
attributes.
• Personality psychology focuses on patterns of thoughts and behaviors that make
each individual unique (e.g., Freud and Maslow) Freud proposed that personality
arose as conflicts between the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind were
carried out over the lifespan.
• Rather than explaining how personality arises, research is focused on identifying
personality traits, measuring these traits, and determining how these traits
interact in a particular context to determine how a person will behave
• Social psychology focuses on how we interact with and relate to one another
Research focuses on a wide variety of topics that include differences in how we
explain our own behavior versus how we explain the behaviors of others,
prejudice, and attraction, and how we resolve interpersonal conflicts.

23. OTHER SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN PSYCHOLOGY IV
• Industrial-Organizational psychology (I-O psychology) is a subfield of
psychology that applies psychological theories, principles, and research
findings in industrial and organizational settings. Businesses often seek the
aid of I-O psychologists
• Health psychology focuses on how health is affected by the interaction of
biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.
• sport and exercise psychology study the psychological aspects of sport
performance, including motivation and performance anxiety, and the
effects of sport on mental and emotional wellbeing.

24. OTHER SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN PSYCHOLOGY V
• Clinical psychology is the area of psychology that focuses on the diagnosis and
treatment of psychological disorders and other problematic patterns of behavior.
As such, it is generally considered to be a more applied area within psychology;
Counseling psychology is a similar discipline that focuses on emotional, social,
vocational, and health related outcomes in individuals who are considered
psychologically healthy.
• Forensic psychology is a branch of psychology that deals questions of psychology
as they arise in the context of the justice system. For example, forensic
psychologists (and forensic psychiatrists) will assess a person’s competency to
stand trial, assess the state of mind of a defendant, act as consultants on child
custody cases, consult on sentencing and treatment recommendations, and
advise on issues such as eyewitness testimony and children’s testimony

25. Chapter 2 Psychological Research
• The goal of all scientists is to better understand the world around them
• We should be informed consumers of the information made available to us
because decisions based on this information have significant consequences.
• An Example of Ignoring Research
• According to the D.A.R.E. website (www.dare.org), this program has been very
popular since its inception in 1983, and it is currently operating in 75% of school
districts in the United States and in more than 40 countries worldwide.
• Can you think of another area where there is research needed or where the
available research is being ignored?

26. When Bad things Happen to Good Intentions
• The Drug Abuse Resistance Education DARE reviewed
• When it became known that the prestigious American
Journal of Public Health planned to publish the study, DARE
strongly objected and tried to prevent publication. "DARE
has tried to interfere with the publication of this. They tried
to intimidate us," the publication director reported (also
see pg230 text)
• The U.S. Department of Education prohibits schools from
spending its funding on DARE because the program is
completely ineffective in reducing alcohol and drug use.
DARE was declared as ineffective by U.S. General
Accounting Office, the U.S. Surgeon General, the National
Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Department of
Education-David J. Hanson, Ph.D. http://www.alcoholfacts.org/DARE.html

27. An outcome evaluation of Project DARE
Christopher Ringwalt1, Susan T. Ennett2 and Kathleen D. Holt2 Health Educ. Res. (1991) 6 (3): 327-337
• This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the effects of the
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)Project, a school-based drug
use prevention program, in a sample of fifth and sixth graders in North
Carolina. DARE is distinguished by its use of specially trained,
uniformed police officers to deliver 17 weekly lessons in the classroom.
The evaluation used an experimental design employing random
assignment of 20 schools to either a DARE or no-DARE condition, pre-
and post-testing of both groups, attrition assessment, adjustments for
school effects, and control for non-equivalency between comparison
groups.
• DARE demonstrated no effect on adolescents' use of alcohol, cigarettes
or inhalants, or on their future intentions to use these substances.
However, DARE did make a positive impact on adolescents' awareness of the
costs of using alcohol and cigarettes, perceptions of the media's portrayal of
these substances, general and specific attitudes towards drugs, perceived
peer attitudes toward drug use, and assertiveness.

28. How effective is drug abuse resistance education? A
meta-analysis of Project DARE outcome evaluations S T
Ennett et al. Am J Public Health. 1994 September; 84(9): 1394–1401
• This study used meta-analytic techniques to review eight methodologically
rigorous DARE evaluations
• INTRODUCTION Project DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) is the most
widely used school-based drug use prevention program in the United States,
but the findings of rigorous evaluations of its effectiveness have not been
considered collectively. METHODS. We used meta-analytic techniques to
review eight methodologically rigorous DARE evaluations. Weighted effect
size means for several short-term outcomes also were compared with means
reported for other drug use prevention programs. RESULTS. The DARE effect
size for drug use behavior ranged from .00 to .11 across the eight studies;
the weighted mean for drug use across studies was .06. For all outcomes
considered, the DARE effect size means were substantially smaller than
those of programs emphasizing social and general competencies and using
interactive teaching strategies. CONCLUSIONS. DARE's short-term
effectiveness for reducing or preventing drug use behavior is small and is
less than for interactive prevention programs.

29. Process of Scientific Research
• Scientific knowledge is advanced through a process known as the scientific
method. Basically, ideas (in the form of theories and hypotheses) are tested
against the real world (in the form of empirical observations), and those
empirical observations lead to more ideas that are tested
• In the scientific context, deductive reasoning begins with a generalization—one
hypothesis—that is then used to reach logical conclusions about the real world.
• Deductive reasoning starts with a generalization that is tested against real-world
observations; however, inductive reasoning moves in the opposite direction.
Inductive reasoning uses empirical observations to construct broad
generalizations.

30. Be Reasonable
• Deductive reasoning starts with a generalization that is tested against real-world
observations; however, inductive reasoning moves in the opposite direction.
Inductive reasoning uses empirical observations to construct broad
generalizations.
• Inductive reasoning-you may notice that your favorite fruits—apples, bananas,
and oranges—all grow on trees; therefore, you assume that all fruit must grow
on trees.(incorrect assumption)
• Remember- A hypothesis is a testable prediction about how the world will
behave if our idea is correct, and it is often worded as an if-then statement-A
scientific hypothesis is also falsifiable, or capable of being shown to be inc

31. Research Methods
• Observational techniques ;interviews; well-controlled experiments.
• Survey research, on the other hand, allows researchers to easily collect data from
relatively large samples.
• Some researchers conduct archival research by using existing records.
• Correlational research can find a relationship between two variables
• In observational research, scientists are conducting a clinical or case study when
they focus on one person or just a few individuals. This approach is often used
when studying individuals who have a rare characteristic.

32. Research Methods (continued)
• One type of observational study is called naturalistic observation: observing
behavior in its natural setting. To better understand peer exclusion, Suzanne
Fanger collaborated with colleagues at the University of Texas to observe the
behavior of preschool children on a playground. Scientists have used this
technique to study social hierarchies and interactions among animals ranging
from ground squirrels to gorillas.
• An advantage is that having individuals behave as they normally would in a given
situation means that we have a higher degree of ecological validity, or realism
• A disadvantage- are often difficult to set up and control.

33. Limitations of Research
• One problem in observational research is observer bias. People may
unconsciously skew (interpret) their observations to fit their research goals or
expectations.
• One way to avoid bias is to have inter-rater reliability: a measure of reliability
that assesses the consistency of observations by different observers.
• Other Research Techniques/Terms
• Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants
• A sample is a subset of individuals selected from a population, which is the
overall group of individuals that the researchers are interested in.

34. Surveys
• By using surveys, we can collect information from a larger sample of people. A larger
sample is better able to reflect the actual diversity of the population, thus allowing
better generalizability. Therefore, if our sample is sufficiently large and diverse, we can
assume that the data we collect from the survey can be generalized to the larger
population with more certainty than the information collected through a case study.
• However, given the greater number of people involved, we are not able to collect the
same depth of information on each person that would be collected in a case study or a
study using a smaller sample.(and discuss error)
• Another problem with surveys is that People don't always give accurate responses.

35. Archival Methods; Longitudinal, Cross-Sectional designs in Research
• Archival research relies on looking at past records or data sets to look for
interesting patterns or relationships. the researcher employing archival research
never directly interacts with research participants.
• Therefore, the investment of time and money to collect data is considerably less
with archival research.
• There is also no guarantee of consistency between the records from one source to
• Additionally, researchers have no control over what information was originally
collected.
• Longitudinal vs Cross-sectional
• Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered
repeatedly over an extended period of time while in In cross-sectional research, a
researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time.
• some people may simply choose to discontinue their participation in a
Longitudinal study. As a result, the attrition rates, or reduction in the number of
research participants due to dropouts, in longitudinal studies

36. Correlation
• Correlation means that there is a relationship between two or more variables but
this relationship does not necessarily imply cause and effect.
• A correlation coefficient is a number from -1 to +1 that indicates the strength
and direction of the relationship between variables. The correlation coefficient is
usually represented by the letter r. The number portion of the correlation
coefficient indicates the strength of the relationship. The closer the number is to
1 (be it negative or positive), the more strongly related the variables are, and
the more predictable changes in one variable will be as the other variable
changes. The closer the number is to zero, the weaker the relationship, and the
less predictable the relationships between the variables becomes.
• A positive correlation means that the variables move in the same direction. A
negative correlation means that the variables move in opposite directions. If two
variables are negatively correlated, a decrease in one variable is associated with
an increase in the other and vice versa.

37. Relationships Between Variables
• Relationships between variables 1) Positive Linear
Relationship 2) Negative Linear Relationship 3) No
Relationship and 4) Curvilinear Relationship pg72
• Positive linear Relationship Increases in one variable are accompanied by increases in
a second variable
• Negative linear Relationship Increases of one variable are accompanied by decreases
in a second variable
• No Relationship Levels of one variable are not related to levels of a second variable
• Curvilinear Relationship Increases in one variable are accompanied by systematic
increases and decreases in a second variable pg73-74

38. The local ice cream shop keeps track of how much ice cream they sell versus the
temperature on that day, here are their figures for the last 12 days
Ice Cream Sales vs Temperature
Temperature °C Ice Cream Sales
14.2° $215
16.4° $325
11.9° $185
15.2° $332
18.5° $406
22.1° $522
19.4° $412
25.1° $614
23.4° $544
18.1° $421
22.6° $445
17.2° $408

39. Correlation example
• You can easily see that warmer weather leads to more sales, the
relationship is good but not perfect. The correlation is 0.9575

40. There has been a heat wave! It gets so hot that people aren't going
near the shop, and sales start dropping.
• The correlation calculation only
works well for relationships that
follow a straight line. The
calculated value of correlation is
0. But we can see the data
follows a nice curve that reaches
a peak around 25° C. But the
correlation calculation is not
"smart" enough to see this
• If you make a Scatter Plot, and
look at it, you may see more than
the correlation value says.
• Make your own scatterplot
• http://www.alcula.com/calculator
s/statistics/scatter-plot/
establishing the existence of a
relationship tells us little about cause and effect.

41. Confounds and Error
• While variables are sometimes correlated because one does cause the other, it
could also be that some other factor, a confounding variable, is actually causing
the effect (e.g. ice-cream&drowning; birth rate; Mozart effect; Wine and heart
health)
• Illusory correlations, or false correlations, occur when people believe that
relationships exist between two things when no such relationship exists.
• In order to conduct an experiment, a researcher must have a specific hypothesis
to be tested. As you’ve learned, hypotheses can be formulated either through
direct observation of the real world or after careful review of previous research.

42. Designing an Experiment
• The most basic experimental design involves two groups: the experimental group
and the control group.
• The two groups are designed to be the same except for one difference—
experimental manipulation. The experimental group gets the experimental
manipulation—that is, the treatment or variable being tested and the control
group does not.
• We also need to precisely define, or operationalize our variable. An operational
definition is a description of how we will measure our variables
• single-blind study-researcher who developed the experiment knows which
participants are in each group but the participants do not know which group they
are in (control or experimental)
• In a double-blind study, both the researchers and the participants are blind to
group assignments.

43. Placebo Effect; Independent and Dependent Variables
• The placebo effect-The placebo effect occurs when people's
expectations or beliefs influence or determine their experience in a
given situation. In other words, simply expecting something to happen
can actually make it happen.(placebos have physiological effects)
• An independent variable is manipulated or controlled by the
experimenter.
• A dependent variable is what the researcher measures to see how
much effect the independent variable had.
• A random sample is a subset of a larger population in which every
member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.
Random assignment makes it unlikely that there are systematic
differences between the groups

44. Statistical Analysis
• A statistical analysis is conducted to find out if there are meaningful differences
between the two groups. A statistical analysis determines how likely any
difference found is due to chance (and thus not meaningful). In psychology, group
differences are considered meaningful, or significant, if the odds that these
differences occurred by chance alone are 5 percent or less. Stated another way, if
we repeated this experiment 100 times, we would expect to find the same results
at least 95 times out of 100.
• Unlike an article that might be published in a magazine like Psychology Today,
which targets a general audience with an interest in psychology, scientific journals
generally publish peer-reviewed journal articles aimed at an audience of
professionals
• Peer review also ensures that the research is described clearly enough to allow
other scientists to replicate it, meaning they can repeat the experiment

45. Reliability and Validity and Review
• Reliability refers to the ability to consistently produce a given result. In the
context (e.g. any instruments or tools used to collect data do so in
consistent, reproducible ways)
• Validity refers to the extent to which a given instrument or tool accurately
measures what it’s supposed to measure.
• You can have reliability without validity but you cannot have validity
without reliability
• Any research institution that receives federal support for research involving
human participants must have access to an institutional review board
(IRB).
• The purpose of the IRB is to review proposals for research that involves
human participants. Generally, approval from the IRB is required in order
for the experiment to proceed.

46. Reviews and Ethical Considerations
• An institution’s IRB requires several components in any experiment it approves
• For one, each participant must sign an informed consent form before they can
participate in the experiment. An informed consent form provides a written
description of what participants can expect during the experiment, including
potential risks and implications of the research. It also lets participants know
that their involvement is completely voluntary and can be discontinued without
penalty at any time. Furthermore, the informed consent guarantees that any data
collected in the experiment will remain completely confidential
• Deception involves purposely misleading experiment participants in order to
maintain the integrity of the experiment, but not to the point where the
deception could be considered harmful. participants must receive a full
debriefing-honest information about the purpose of the experiment
• Whereas IRBs review research proposals that involve human participants, animal
experimental proposals are reviewed by an Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee (IACUC).

47. Chapter 3 Biopsychology-physiological and
anatomical foundations for many areas of psychology.
• Whereas evolutionary psychologists focus on universal patterns that evolved
over millions of years, behavioral geneticists study how individual differences
arise, in the present, through the interaction of genes and the environment.
• Genetics
• The egg and the sperm each contain 23 chromosomes. Chromosomes are long
strings of genetic material known as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA is a
helix-shaped molecule made up of nucleotide base pairs. In each chromosome,
sequences of DNA make up genes that control or partially control a number of
visible characteristics, known as traits, such as eye color, hair color, and so on. A
single gene may have multiple possible variations, or alleles. An allele is a
specific version of a gene.

48. Genetics
• When a sperm and egg fuse, their 23 chromosomes pair up and create a zygote
with 23 pairs of chromosomes. Therefore, each parent contributes half the
genetic information carried by the offspring;
• A person’s genotype is the genetic makeup of that individual. Phenotype, refers
to the individual’s inherited physical characteristics, which are a combination of
genetic and environmental influences
• Most traits are controlled by multiple genes, but some traits are controlled by
one gene.
• When someone has two copies of the same allele, they are said to be
homozygous for that allele. When someone has a combination of alleles for a
given gene, they are said to be heterozygous. For example, a trait may be a
recessive trait, which means that an individualwill only display that trait
(phenotype) if they are homozygous for that recessive allele

49. Genetics (continued)
• A mutation is a sudden, permanent change in a gene. While many mutations can
be harmful or lethal, once in a while, a mutation benefits an individual by giving
that person an advantage over those who do not have the mutation.
• Range of reaction asserts that our genes set the boundaries within which we can
operate, and our environment interacts with the genes to determine where in
that range we will fall.
• Genetic environmental correlation. Stated simply, our genes influence our
environment, and our environment influences the expression of our genes . Not
only do our genes and environment interact, as in range of reaction, but they
also influence one another bidirectionally.
• the field of epigenetics looks beyond the genotype itself and studies how the
same genotype can be expressed in different ways.

50. Nervous System Basics
• Neurons are the central building blocks of the nervous system (100 billion strong
at birth?) a Neuron’s outer surface is made up of a semipermeable membrane.

51. The nucleus of the neuron is located in the soma, or cell body. The soma has branching extensions known as
dendrites.The terminal buttons contain synaptic vesicles that house neurotransmitters, the chemical
messengers of the nervous system. In some axons, glial cells form a fatty
substance known as the myelin sheath, which coats the axon and acts as an insulator, increasing the
speed at which the signal travels.

52. Meet the Neuron
• The neuron exists in a fluid environment—it is surrounded by extracellular fluid
and contains intracellular fluid (i.e., cytoplasm). The neuronal membrane keeps
these two fluids separate—a critical role because the electrical signal that passes
through the neuron depends on the intra- and extracellular fluids being
electrically different. This difference in charge across the membrane, called the
membrane potential, provides energy for the signal.
• The electrical charge of the fluids is caused by charged molecules (ions) dissolved
in the fluid.
• Between signals, the neuron membrane’s potential is held in a state of readiness,
called the resting potential.

53. Nerve Cells -Neurons
Resting Potential The sodium-potassium pump in the
neuron cell membrane uses the energy of ATP to pump Na+
out of the cell and, at the same time, to pump K+ in. This
ongoing process maintains resting potential

56. Chemical Transmission
• The greater the surface area of the dendrites the more
information it can receive
• Neurons differ from other cells based on their shape
(which is related to their function)

58. Medications and Drugs and Neurotransmitters
• Psychotropic medications are drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring
neurotransmitter balance see pg 85 list Table 3-1
• Acetylcholine- (generally excitatory) Nerve muscle junction, Brain
• Glutamate-Main excitatory neurotransmitter
• GABA-Main inhibitory neurotransmitter
• Psychoactive drugs can act as agonists or antagonists for a given
neurotransmitter system. Agonists are chemicals that mimic a neurotransmitter
at the receptor site and, thus, strengthen its effects. An antagonist, on the other
hand, blocks or impedes the normal activity of a neurotransmitter at the
receptor.

59. Mechanism of Action-Drugs
• In contrast to agonists and antagonists, which both operate by
binding to receptor sites, reuptake inhibitors prevent unused
neurotransmitters from being transported back to the neuron.
• Often, an individual must take a drug for several weeks before seeing
improvement, and many psychoactive drugs have significant negative
side effects.

62. Nervous System Details
• The somatic nervous system is associated with activities traditionally thought of
as conscious or voluntary. It is involved in the relay of sensory and motor
information to and from the CNS; therefore, it consists of motor neurons and
sensory neurons.
• The autonomic nervous system controls our internal organs and glands and is
generally considered to be outside the realm of voluntary control. subdivided
into the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions. The sympathetic nervous
system is involved in preparing the body for stress-related activities; the
parasympathetic nervous system is associated with returning the body to
routine, day-to-day operations.

63. Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic -Parasympathetic

64. Central Nervous System
• The spinal cord is like a relay station, but a very smart one. It not only routes
messages to and from the brain, but it also has its own system of automatic
processes, called reflexes. The top of the spinal cord merges with the brain stem,
where the basic processes of life are controlled, such as breathing and digestion.
• Some sensory messages are immediately acted on by the spinal cord, without any
input from the brain. Withdrawal from heat and knee jerk are two examples.
Seconds are saved, because messages
don’t have to go the brain, be processed,
and get sent back.

65. Surface of the Brain
• The surface of the brain, known as the cerebral cortex, is very uneven,
characterized by a distinctive pattern of folds or bumps, known as gyri
(singular: gyrus), and grooves, known as sulci (singular: sulcus), or fissures

66. Surface and Features of Brain
• There is evidence of some specialization of function—referred to as
lateralization—in each hemisphere, mainly regarding differences in language
ability. Beyond that, however, the differences that have been found have been
minor. The two hemispheres are connected by a thick band of neural fibers
known as the corpus callosum, consisting of about 200 million axons.
• The forebrain contains the cerebral cortex and a number of other structures that
lie beneath the cortex (called subcortical structures): thalamus, hypothalamus,
pituitary gland, and the limbic system (collection of structures). The cerebral
cortex, which is the outer surface of the brain, is associated with higher level
processes such as consciousness, thought, emotion, reasoning, language, and
memory. Each cerebral hemisphere can be subdivided into four lobes, each
associated with different functions.

67. Brain Structures

68. The four lobes of the brain
• The four lobes of the brain are the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes

69. Representative Model

70. Midbrain Region
• The midbrain is comprised of structures located deep within the brain, between
the forebrain and the hindbrain. The reticular formation is centered in the
midbrain, but it actually extends up into the forebrain and down into the
hindbrain. The reticular formation is important in regulating the sleep/wake
cycle,arousal, alertness, and motor activity.
• The substantia nigra (Latin for “black substance”) and the ventral tegmental area
(VTA) are also located in the midbrain
• The hindbrain is located at the back of the head and looks like an extension of
the spinal cord. It contains the medulla, pons, and cerebellum. The medulla
controls the automatic processes of the autonomic nervous system, such as
breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

71. Substantia Nigra and DA pathways

73. Brain Imaging
• A computerized tomography (CT) scan involves taking a number of x-rays
of a particular section of a person’s body or brain . The x-rays pass through
tissues of different densities at different rates, allowing a computer to
construct an overall image of the area of the body being scanned. A CT
scan is often used to determine whether someone has a tumor, or
significant brain atrophy.

74. Brain Imaging (continued)
• Positron emission tomography (PET) scans create pictures of the
living, active brain. An individual receiving a PET scan drinks or is injected
with a mildly radioactive substance, called a tracer.
• Once in the bloodstream, the amount of tracer in any
given region of the brain can be monitored. As brain
areas become more active, more blood flows to
that area.

75. Brain Imaging (continued)
• In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a person is placed inside a machine
that generates a strong magnetic field. The magnetic field causes the
hydrogen atoms in the body’s cells to move. When the magnetic field is
turned off, the hydrogen atoms emit electromagnetic signals as they return
to their original positions. Tissues of different densities give off different
signals, which a computer interprets and displays on a monitor. Functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) operates on the same
principles, but it shows changes in brain activity over time
by tracking blood flow and oxygen levels.

76. Brain Imaging (continued)
• In some situations, it is helpful to gain an understanding of the overall activity of
a person’s brain, without needing information on the actual location of the
activity. Electroencephalography (EEG) serves this purpose by providing a
measure of a brain’s electrical activity. An array of electrodes is placed around a
person’s head

77. Endocrine System-Hormones
• The endocrine system consists of a series of glands that produce chemical
substances known as hormones. Like neurotransmitters, hormones are
chemical messengers that must bind to a receptor in order to send their
signal.
• However, unlike neurotransmitters, which are released in close proximity to
cells with their receptors, hormones are secreted into the bloodstream and
travel throughout the body, affecting any cells that contain receptors for
them. Thus, whereas neurotransmitters’ effects are localized, the effects of
hormones are widespread. hormones are slower to take effect, and tend to
be longer lasting.

78. Endocrine System continued
• Endocrine system includes hormone-producing glands,
such as the hypothalamus, pituitary, and thyroid, and
organs such as the liver, pancreas, and kidneys

79. Chapter 4 States of consciousness and Sleep
• Sleep, which we all experience, is a quiet and mysterious pause in our daily lives.
• Figure 4.1 Two sleeping children are depicted in this 1895 oil painting titled Zwei schlafende Mädchen auf
der Ofenbank, which translates as “two sleeping girls on the stove,” by Swiss painter Albert Anker.)
Consciousness – awareness of internal and external stimuli.
Wakefulness – high levels of sensory awareness, thought, and behavior.

80. States of Consciousness
• Consciousness describes our awareness of internal and external
stimuli. Awareness of internal stimuli includes feeling pain, hunger,
thirst, sleepiness, and being aware of our thoughts and emotions.
Awareness of external stimuli includes seeing the light from the sun,
feeling the warmth of a room, and hearing the voice of a friend.

81. BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS
• A biological rhythm is an internal cycle of biological activity including fluctuation of body
temperature, an individuals menstrual cycle, levels of alertness, etc.
• Circadian rhythm – biological rhythm that occurs over approximately 24 hours.
- The sleep-wake cycle, one of our main circadian rhythms, is linked to our environments
natural light-dark cycle.
• What controls our biological rhythms?
• The hypothalamus is responsible for maintaining homeostasis, the tendency to maintain a
balance, or optimal level, within a biological system.
• In the brain, the hypothalamus, which lies above the pituitary gland, is a main center
of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the tendency to maintain a balance, or optimal level,
within a biological system.
• SCN superchiasmatic nucleus

82. Circadian rhythms
• This chart illustrates the circadian change in body temperature over 28 hours in a group
of eight young men. Body temperature rises throughout the waking day, peaking in the
afternoon, and falls during sleep with the lowest point occurring during the very early
morning hours.
Figure 4.2

83. Circadian Rhythm
• This pattern of temperature fluctuation, which repeats every day, is one
example of a circadian rhythm. A circadian rhythm is a biological rhythm
that takes place over a period of about 24 hours (but is usually slightly
longer than 24 hours).
• Our sleep-wake cycle, which is linked to our environment’s natural light-
dark cycle, is perhaps the most obvious example of a circadian rhythm,
but we also have daily fluctuations in heart rate, blood pressure, blood
sugar, and body temperature. Some circadian rhythms play a role in
changes in our state of consciousness.

84. Wakefulness and Sleep
• Endogenous circadian rhythms- in humans slightly longer
than 24 hours (can train people to produce up to 25 hour
cycle but no more
• Stimulus for setting the rhythm (Zeitgeber- time giver)
• SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus) Hypothalamus- Small
branch of optic nerve (retinohypothalamic -arising from a special population of
retinal ganglia cells which respond directly to light even without input from rods and cones)
projects from retina to SCN (These ganglion cells respond
slowly to overall average amount of light They do not
respond to momentary or sudden changes. Because they
do not contribute to vision the cells don’t need to respond
to such momentary changes)

85. Pathways related to Sleep-SCN

86. Sleep and Consciousness
• Sleep – an actively produced state by the brain
• Coma – Extended period of unconsciousness caused by
head trauma, stroke or disease
• Vegetative state-The vegetative state is a chronic or long-term condition. This
condition differs from a persistent vegetative state (PVS, a state of coma that lacks
both awareness and wakefulness) since patients have awakened from coma, but still
have not regained awareness. In the vegetative state patients can open their eyelids
occasionally and demonstrate sleep-wake cycles. They also completely lack cognitive
function.
• Minimally conscious state- Brief periods of purposeful
actions with limited speech and comprehension

87. States of Consciousness

88. Consciousness
• MCS is characterized by inconsistent but clearly discernible
behavioral evidence of consciousness and can be
distinguished from coma and VS by documenting the
presence of specific behavioral features not found in either
of these conditions. Patients may evolve to MCS from coma
or VS after acute brain injury. MCS may also result from
degenerative or congenital nervous system disorders. This
condition is often transient but may also exist as a
permanent outcome
• The minimally conscious state : Definition and diagnostic
criteria-J.T. Giacino et al. Neurology February 12, 2002 vol.
58 no. 3 349-353

89. Melatonin and sleep regulation
• Our sleep—wake cycle is also regulated by other factors such as the hormone
melatonin.
• Melatonin release is stimulated by darkness, making us sleepy, and inhibited by
daylight. The pineal gland releases melatonin during sleep . Melatonin is thought
to be involved in the regulation of biological rhythms
Sleep regulation – the brain’s
control of switching between sleep
and wakefulness as well as
coordinating this cycle with the
outside world.
Each person has an individual
circadian pattern of activity known
as a person’s chronotype.
(Credit: How sleep works - Luke Mastin)

90. Sleep and its effects
• Sleep is also associated with the secretion and regulation of a number of
hormones from several endocrine glands including: melatonin, follicle stimulating
hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and growth hormone (National
Institutes of Health)
• the pituitary gland secretes both FSH and LH which are important in regulating
the reproductive system (Christensen et al., 2012; Sofikitiset al., 2008). The
pituitary gland also secretes growth hormone, during sleep, which plays a role in
physical growth and maturation as well as other metabolic processes immune
system (Hardeland et al., 2006).

91. Functions of Sleep and Dreams
Recorded activity in the hippocampus during learning, and
then recorded from the same locations during sleep, using
microelectrodes within cells for laboratory animals and
electrodes on the scalp for humans. The results: Patterns that
occurred during sleep resembled those that occurred during
learning, except that they were more rapid during sleep. Brain
sometimes replays less common experiences more often than
common ones and the hippocampus replays recently learned
patterns during quiet waking periods, not just during sleep
• Sleep spindles are waves of activity, about 12–14 Hz, that
occur mostly during stage 2 sleep. They indicate an exchange
of information between the thalamus and cerebral cortex. In
both rats and humans, sleep spindles increase in number
after new learning

92. DISRUPTIONS OF NORMAL SLEEP
• Devices like this are designed to
provide exposure to bright light
to help people maintain a
regular circadian cycle. They can
be helpful for people working
night shifts or for people
affected by seasonal variations
in light.
Jet lag – Symptoms resulting from the mismatch
between our internal circadian cycles and our
environment.
- Fatigue, sluggishness, irritability and insomnia.
Rotating shift work – A work schedule that changes
from early to late on a daily/weekly basis.
- Becomes difficult for a normal circadian rhythm to
be maintained.
- Can result in persistent feelings of exhaustion and
agitation, sleeping problems and can lead to signs
of depression and anxiety.
Bright light can be used to realign our biological clocks
with the external environment.
Certain circumstances can throw off our circadian rhythms.
Figure 4.4

93. Sleep deprivation
• This figure illustrates some of the negative consequences of sleep deprivation. While cognitive
deficits may be the most obvious, many body systems are negatively impacted by lack of sleep.
Figure 4.5 (credit: modification of work by Mikael Häggström)
Sleep debt – insufficient sleep on a chronic basis.
Sleep rebound – a sleep-deprived individual will tend to take a shorter time to fall asleep
during subsequent opportunities for sleep. many of us sleep less than 7–8 hours a night
and accrue a sleep debt.

94. Why do we sleep?
• Cognitive Function
• Research shows that sleep deprivation results in disruptions in cognition and
memory deficits.
• These impairments become more severe as the amount of sleep
deprivation increases.
• Slow-wave sleep appears to be essential for effective memory formation.
• Benefits of sleep
• Maintaining a healthy weight, lowering stress levels, improving mood, increased motor
coordination as well as many benefits related to cognition and memory formation.
WHAT IS SLEEP?

95. Stages of sleep
• Figure 4.8 (credit “sleeping”: modification of work by Ryan Vaarsi)

96. Stages of Sleep
• Sleep is prompted by natural cycles of activity in the
brain and consists of two basic states: rapid eye
movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement
(NREM) sleep, which consists of Stages 1 through 4-Each
of these 4 stages can last from 5 to 15 minutes. A
completed cycle of sleep consists of a progression from
stages 1-4 before REM sleep is attained, then the cycle
starts over again
(90minutes)
Paradoxical sleep term
used for animals as
many species lack
eye movements

98. Brainwaves during sleep
• Brainwave activity changes dramatically across the different stages of sleep.
• Changes in brain wave activity can be visualized using EEG.
Figure 4.9

99. Stages 1 and 2
• STAGE 2
- The body goes into deep relaxation.
- Characterized by the appearance of
both sleep spindles and K-complexes.
• Sleep spindles – rapid burst of high
frequency brainwaves.
• K-complexes – very high amplitude
pattern of brain activity.
Figure 4.10
STAGE 1
- Transitional phase occurring between wakefulness and sleep.
- Rates of respiration and heartbeat slow down, muscle tension and core body
temperature decrease.

100. Stages 3 and 4
(a) Delta waves
(b) Slow-wave stage 3 and stage 4 sleep.
Figure 4.11
- Known as slow-wave sleep with delta waves.
- Respiration and heart rate slow down further.

101. Rapid eye movement (REM)
• Figure 4.12 (a) A period of rapid eye movement is marked by the short red line segment, which
looks very similar to brainwaves seen (b) during wakefulness.
- Rapid eye movements.
- Paralysis of voluntary muscles.
- Dreams! (Narrative)
- Brain waves are similar to those seen during wakefulness.

102. REM and Neurotransmitters
• During REM activity decreases in the primary visual cortex,
the motor cortex, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex but
increased in parts of the parietal and temporal cortex
(Braun et al., 1998)
• REM sleep apparently depends on a relationship between
the neurotransmitters serotonin and acetylcholine.
Injections of the drug carbachol, which stimulates
acetylcholine synapses, quickly move a sleeper into REM
sleep. Serotonin and norepinephrine interrupt REM sleep
(source Kalat text)

103. Sleep Disorders
• Tranquillizers , Alcohol effects
• Narcolepsy 1/1000 persons- Lack of production of
neurotransmitter Orexin necessary for maintaining
wakefulness (also related to appetite)
• Without Orexin person alternates between short waking and
short sleepy periods
• Very few cells in hypothalamus produce orexin about 10,000 to 20,000
However, the axons from these neurons extend throughout
the entire brain and spinal cord
• Huntington’s-loss of these hypothalamic cells-Pts show
sleep cycle disturbance
• Night terrors- occur in NREM sleep, Dream content
simple, more common in chldren

104. Hypnogram of sleep stages
• A hypnogram is a diagram of the stages of sleep as they occur during a period of sleep.
• This hypnogram illustrates how an individual moves through the various stages of
sleep.
Figure 4.13

105. Brain Function in REM sleep• Paradoxical Sleep (in animals) : Dolphins
• Onset of REM sleep associated with distinctive pattern of
potentials PGO waves
• Pons Geniculate Occipital beginning in Pons
• Prolonged REM deprivationPGO waves emerge in stage 2-
4, may also occur in waking state
• At end of deprivation shows high density PGO waves in REM
• Pons inhibits motor neurons controlling large muscles
• 5-HT and NE interrupt sleep. ACh shifts NREM sleep to REM
sleep (anti ACh meds-Dementia; sundowning)

106. DREAMS
• Sigmund Freud saw dreams as a way to gain access to the unconscious.
• Manifest content – the actual content of the dream.
• Latent content – the hidden meaning of the dream.
• Carl Jung:
- Believed that dreams allowed us to tap into the collective unconscious.
Collective unconscious – theoretical repository of information shared by all people
across cultures.
• Research:
- Dreams may represent life events that are important to the dreamer.
- Dreaming may represent a state of protoconsciousness, or a virtual reality, in the mind
that helps a person during consciousness.
Lucid dreams – a person is aware that they are dreaming and may have some control
over what they are dreaming.

107. INSOMNIA
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep - at least 3 nights a week for at least one
month’s time.
• The most common sleep disorder.
• Contributing factors include:
- Age
- Drug/alcohol use
- Exercise
- Mental status
- Bedtime routines
• Treatment: (NOT SLEEP MEDICATION)
- Stress management techniques.
- Changes in problematic behaviors that could contribute to insomnia.
- Addressing and working on anxiety

108. Parasomnia
• Parasomnias involve unwanted motor behavior/experiences throughout
the sleep cycle. They include:
• Sleep walking:
- Usually occurs during slow-wave sleep - (stage 3 or 4).
• REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) occurs when the muscle paralysis
associated with the REM sleep phase does not occur. Individuals who suffer
from RBD have high levels of physical activity during REM sleep, especially
during disturbing dreams. These behaviors vary widely, but they can
include kicking, punching, scratching and yelling
• Night terrors:
- Sleeper experiences a sense of panic and may scream or attempt to
escape. Occur during NREM sleep.

109. SLEEP APNEA
• Figure 4.14
Occurs when individuals stop breathing during their sleep, usually for 10-20 seconds or
longer. Sleep apnea may exacerbate cardiovascular disease
Repeated disruptions in sleep lead to increased levels of fatigue.
Common in people that are overweight.
2 types:
Obstructive – airway becomes blocked and air is prevented from entering the lungs.
Central – CNS fails to initiate breaths.
Treatment can include a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device which pumps air
into the person’s airways.

110. SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME (SIDS)
• The Safe to Sleep campaign educates the public
about how to minimize risk factors associated
with SIDS. This campaign is sponsored in part
by the National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development.
Figure 4.15
Occurs when an infant stops
breathing during sleep and dies.
- Infants younger than 12 months
are at the highest risk.
- Boys have a greater risk than
girls.
Contributing factors:
- Premature birth.
- Smoking within the home.
- Hyperthermia.

111. narcolepsy
• Involves an irresistible urge to fall asleep during waking hours.
• Often triggered by states of heightened arousal or stress.
• Shares many features of REM sleep including:
• Cataplexy – loss of muscle tone while awake or in some cases complete paralysis of the
voluntary muscles.
• Hypnagogic hallucinations - vivid, dream-like hallucinations.
• Treatment – psychomotor stimulant drugs.
(Credit: Valley
Sleep Center)

112. SUBSTANCE USE disorders
• Substance use disorder is a compulsive pattern of drug use despite negative
consequences (DSM-5 definition).
- Involves physical and psychological dependence.
• Physiological dependence - involves changes in normal bodily functions and
withdrawal upon cessation of use.
• Psychological dependence – emotional need for the drug.
Tolerance – occurs when a person requires
more and more of a drug to achieve effects
previously experienced at lower doses; linked
to physiological dependence.
Withdrawal – negative symptoms
experienced when drug use is discontinued.
(Credit: DSM5)

113. DRUG CATEGORIES
Figure 4.16 (credit: modification of work
by Derrick Snider)

114. DEPRESSANTS
• Depressants – drugs that suppress the central nervous system activity.
• Usually GABA agonists which have a quieting effect on the brain.
• Work by binding to GABA receptors which makes the neuron less likely to fire.
• Include:
- Alcohol
- Barbiturates (anticonvulsant medication)
- Benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety medication)
• Alcohol:
- Decreases reaction time and visual acuity.
- Lowers levels of alertness.
- Reduces behavioral control.
- Can result in complete loss of consciousness.

115. GABA
• The GABA-gated chloride (Cl-) channel is embedded in the cell membrane of certain neurons.
The channel has multiple receptor sites where alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines bind
to exert their effects. This opens the chloride channel, allowing negatively-charged chloride ions
(Cl-) into the neuron's cell body. Changing its charge in a negative direction pushes the neuron
away from firing; thus, activating a GABA neuron has a quieting effect on the brain.
Figure 4.17

116. OPIOIDS
• Serve as analgesics (decrease pain) through their effects on the endogenous opioid
neurotransmitter system. opioid drugs, which mimic this endogenous painkilling
mechanism, have an extremely high potential for abuse.
• Highly addictive.
• Includes:
- Heroin
- Morphine
- Methadone
- Codeine
Figure 4.20

117. STIMULANTS
• Stimulants – Increase overall levels of neural activity.
• Usually dopamine agonists which work by preventing the reuptake of dopamine.
• Dopamine activity is associated with reward and craving, therefore these drugs can be highly
addictive.
• Include:
- Cocaine
- Amphetamine
- Cathinones (i.e., bath salts)
- MDMA
- Caffeine
- Nicotine
Crack rocks like these are smoked to
achieve a high. Smoking a drug allows
it to enter the brain more rapidly,
which can often enhance the user’s
experience.
Figure 4.18 (credit: modification of work by
U.S. Department of Justice)
Side effects can include nausea, elevated
blood pressure, increased heart rate,
feelings of anxiety, hallucinations and
paranoia.

118. Dopamine antagonists
• As one of their mechanisms of action, cocaine and amphetamines block the reuptake of
dopamine from the synapse into the presynaptic cell.
• This results in a larger amount of dopamine in the synapse.
Figure 4.19

119. Nicotine and caffeine
• Caffeine and nicotine are also stimulants.
• Caffeine:
- Involves antagonizing adenosine activity.
- Increases levels of alertness and arousal.
• Nicotine:
- Interacts with acetylcholine receptors.
- Highly addictive.
- Plays a role in arousal and reward
mechanisms.
(Credit: Wikipedia)

120. HALLUCINOGENS
• Figure 4.21 Psychedelic images like these are
often associated with hallucinogenic
compounds. (credit: modification of work by
“new 1lluminati”/Flickr)
Cause changes in sensory and perceptual
experiences.
Can involve vivid hallucinations.
Variable with regards to the specific
neurotransmitter systems they affect.
- Mescaline and LSD (serotonin agonists).
- PCP and ketamine (NMDA glutamate
receptor antagonists).
Figure 4.22 Medical marijuana shops are becoming
more and more common in the United States.(credit:
Laurie Avocado)

121. Other states of consciousness:
Hypnosis
• Hypnosis is an extreme focus on the self that involves
suggested changes of behavior and experience.
- Clinicians may use relaxation and suggestion in an attempt to
alter the thoughts and perceptions of a patient.
- Has been used to draw out information believed to be buried
in someone’s memory.
- Unlike portrayals in the media, individuals undergoing hypnosis
are in control of their own behaviors.
- People vary in their ability to be hypnotized.
- Uses include pain management, treatment of depression and
anxiety, quitting smoking and weight loss.
Figure 4.23 Popular
portrayals of hypnosis have
led to some widely-held
misconceptions.

122. Other states of consciousness:
meditation
(a) This is a statue of a meditating Buddha, representing one of the many religious traditions of which
meditation plays a part.
(b) People practicing meditation may experience an alternate state of consciousness.
• Figure 4.24 (credit a: modification of work by Jim Epler; credit b: modification of work by Caleb Roenigk)
Meditation is the act of focusing on a single target such as breath or a repeated sound to
increase awareness of the moment.
Meditation involves relaxed, yet focused, awareness.
Shows promise in stress management, sleep quality, pain management and treatment of
mood and anxiety disorder.

123. Chapter 5 Sensation and Perception
• Sensation-What does it mean to sense something? Sensory receptors are
specialized neurons that respond to specific types of stimuli. When sensory
information is detected by a sensory receptor, sensation has occurred. For
example, light that enters the eye causes chemical changes in cells that line the
back of the eye. These cells relay messages, in the form of action potentials (as
you learned when studying biopsychology), to the central nervous system. The
conversion from sensory stimulus energy to action potential is known as
transduction.
• The sensitivity of a given sensory system to the relevant stimuli can be
expressed as an absolute threshold. Absolute threshold. Sometimes, we are
more interested in how much difference in stimuli is required to detect a
difference between them. This is known as the just noticeable difference (jnd)
or difference threshold.

124. Sensation and Perception
• Bottom-up processing refers to the fact that perceptions are built
from sensory input. On the other hand, how we interpret those
sensations is influenced by our available knowledge, our experiences,
and our thoughts. This is called top-down processing.
• The ability to identify a stimulus when it is embedded in a distracting
background is called signal detection theory. Signal to noise ratio

125. AMPLITUDE AND WAVELENGTH properties
• Two physical characteristics of a wave are amplitude and wavelength
The amplitude of a wave is the height of a wave as measured from
the highest point on the wave (peak or crest) to the lowest point on
the wave (trough). Wavelength refers to the length of a wave from
one peak to the next.

126. Sensation and Perception
• Wavelength is directly related to the frequency of a given wave form.
Frequency refers to the number of waves that pass a given point in a given
time period and is often expressed in terms of hertz (Hz), or cycles per
second. Longer wavelengths will have lower frequencies, and shorter
wavelengths will have higher frequencies

127. Visual System
• Transduction of energy-Law of specific energies Muller
(1838)
• PupilRetina
• Rods Cones-(bipolar horizontal amacrine cells) Ganglion
cells
• Center Fovea Cones dominate –Details Color, Bright light (1
to 1 ganglion cells: bipolar cells to Cones-Each ganglion cell
(midget ganglion cell) responds to one cone-each cone in fovea has a
direct line to brain
• Periphery Rods dominate Movement dim light Toward
periphery more receptors converge on bipolar and ganglion
cells

128. Visual System
• Both rods and cones contain photopigments (chemicals)
that release energy when struck by light
• Light converts this photopigment (one type of Vitamin A) to
another type which activates second messengers within the
cell

129. Anatomy of Visual System

130. Anatomy of Retina continued
• Rods:Cones 20:1 but
• cones provide ~90% vision

131. Visual System
• After passing through the pupil, light crosses the lens, a curved,
transparent structure that serves to provide additional focus. The lens is
attached to muscles that can change its shape to aid in focusing light that is
reflected from near or far objects. In a normal-sighted individual, the lens
will focus images perfectly on a small indentation in the back of the eye
known as the fovea, which is part of the retina, the light-sensitive lining of
the eye.
• The fovea contains densely packed specialized photoreceptor cells These
photoreceptor cells, known as cones, are light-detecting cells. The cones
are specialized types of photoreceptors that work best in bright light
conditions. Cones are very sensitive to acute detail and provide
tremendous spatial resolution. They also are directly involved in our ability
to perceive color.

132. Visual System (continued)
• While cones are concentrated in the fovea, where images tend to be focused,
rods, another type of photoreceptor, are located throughout the remainder of
the retina. Rods are specialized photoreceptors that work well in low light
conditions, and while they lack the spatial resolution and color function of the
cones, they are involved in our vision in dimly lit environments as well as in our
perception of movement on the periphery of our visual field.
• Rods and cones are connected (via several interneurons) to retinal ganglion cells.
Axons from the retinal ganglion cells converge and exit through the back of the
eye to form the optic nerve. The optic nerve carries visual information from the
retina to the brain.

133. Anatomy of Retina
As light enters the eyes, retinal photoreceptors
transforms the energy into electrical signals.
The information is transferred by interneurons
(bipolar, horizontal, and amacrine cells) to the
ganglion cells, in which the axons of the
ganglion cells leave the eye at the optic disk
through the optic nerve.

134. Anatomy of Retina continued
• Rods:Cones 20:1 but
• cones provide ~90% vision

135. Theories of Color Perception
• Trichromatic (Young-Helmholtz Theory) According to the trichromatic theory of
color vision, shown in all colors in the spectrum can be produced by combining red,
green, and blue. The three types of cones are each receptive to one of the colors.
• We perceive color through the relative rates of responding by three kinds of
cones, each kind maximally sensitive to a different set of wavelengths (short,
medium and long wavelength types) by the ratio of activity across the three types of cones

136. Trichromatic Theory (Young-Helmholtz)
• We discriminate among wavelengths by the ratio of activity
across the types of cones The nervous system compares
responses of different types of cones Light at 550nm excites medium
and long wavelength receptors but very little short wavelength –We
do not have a separate color receptor for each color

137. Opponent Process Theory of Color Perception
• We perceive color in terms of
opposites A bipolar cell excited
by short wavelength (blue) is
inhibited inhibited by longer
wavelengths. If the blue
wavelength is stimulated long
enough the (bipolar) cell
becomes fatigued and will be
inhibited so that you will see a
different color (yellow) • Stare at the cross-hair in the
parrot while you count slowly to
20, then look immediately at
one spot in the empty bird cage.
A faint, ghostly image of the bird
will appear in the cage. Notice
the blue-green color

138. Auditory System
• Outer Ear – Pinna
• Middle Ear Eardrum
1) Hammer 2) Anvil 3) Stirrup
• Inner Ear-Cochlea
Sensory Receptors
• Afferent neurons innervate cochlear inner hair cells, at
synapses where the neurotransmitter glutamate
communicates signals from the hair cells to the dendrites of
the primary auditory neurons
• This sound information, now re-encoded, travels down the
vestibulocochlear (VIII) through intermediate stations such
as the cochlear nuclei and superior olivary complex of the
brainstem and the inferior colliculus of the midbrain being
further processed at each waypoint. The information
eventually reaches the thalamus , and from there it is
relayed to the cortex. In the human brain , the primary
auditory cortex is located in the temporal lobe

139. Audition (continued)

140. Dimensions of sound
• Amplitude of sound wave (Intensity) = Loudness the
sensation associated with Amplitude
• Frequency of sound wave=Pitch sensation related to
frequency cps or Hz
• Timbre= Quality of sound

141. Theory of Audition
• Mechanisms of hearing above 4000 HZ not well understood

142. • Auditory information leaves cochlear passes through
subcortical areas, crosses over in the midbrain and passes
through the inferior colliculus and then to Primary auditory
cortex(Area A1)-Auditory Cortex

143. Auditory Cortex continued
• Similar to visual system the auditory system requires
experience for full development
• Difference in organization between systems- While
damage to V1 results in blindness (cortical blindness)
damage to A1 does not result in deafness but in the
difficulty to recognize combinations or sequences of
sounds
• Like visual system that starts with simple recognition and
proceeds to more complex processing but unlike the visual
system the cortex is not necessary for all hearing but for
advanced processing of it

144. Hearing Loss
• Conductive deafness- damage to middle ear with cochlear
and auditory nerve left intact. Possible to correct with
amplification (hearing aids)
• Nerve deafness-damage to cochlea, hair cells or auditory
nerve-cannot compensate for extensive damage with
hearing aids (sensorineural)

145. Cochlear Implant
• With a cochlear implant, the damaged hair cells are
bypassed, and the auditory nerve is stimulated directly
• The cochlear implant does not result in “restored” or
“cured” hearing. It does, however, allow for the perception
of the sensation of sound
• Cochlear implants have external (outside) parts and internal
(surgically implanted) parts that work together to allow the
user to perceive sound

146. Sound Localization
• Difference in intensity and arrival time of sound reaching
the two ears For high frequency sounds with a wave length shorter
than the width of the head, the head creates a sound shadow

147. Sound Localization continued
• Phase difference between the ears. If a sound wave
originate to the side of the head the sound wave
strikes the two ears out of phase

148. Mechanical Senses
• Mechanical senses respond to pressure, bending or other
distortions of a receptor (Audition is also a mechanical sense as
hair cells are modified touch receptors)
• Vestibular organ adjacent to the cochlear monitors movement –
three semicircular canals with hair cells Project to the VIII cranial
nerve (both auditory and vestibular)-Like hearing receptors the
vestibular receptors are modified touch receptors
• The three semicircular canals (in perpendicular planes) are filled
with a viscous (jellylike) substance and lined
with hair cells. Acceleration of the head
at any angle causes the fluid (a
gelatinous fluid, called the cupula)
which surrounds the hair cells in a canal
to push against hair cells (action potentials
are produced and travel to the brainstem
and cerebellum)

149. Standing Walking Balance
• Equilibrioception or sense of balance is one of the physiological
senses. It helps prevent humans and animals from falling over
when walking or standing still. Balance is the result of a number
of body systems working together: the eyes (visual system), ears
(vestibular system) and the body's sense of where it is in space
(proprioception) ideally need to be intact. The vestibular
system, the region of the inner ear where three semicircular
canals converge, works with the visual system to keep objects in
focus when the head is moving. This is called the vestibulo-
ocular reflex (VOR). The balance system works with the visual
and skeletal systems (the muscles and joints and their sensors)
to maintain orientation or balance. Visual signals sent to the
brain about the body's position in relation to its surroundings
are processed by the brain and compared to information from
the vestibular, visual and skeletal systems

150. Standing Walking Balance• Romberg's test is a test used in an exam of neurological function, and also
as a test for drunken driving. The exam is based on the premise that a
person requires at least two of the three following senses to maintain
balance while standing: proprioception (the ability to know one's body in
space); vestibular function (the ability to know one's head position in
space); and vision (which can be used to monitor [and adjust for] changes in body position).
• A patient who has a problem with proprioception can still maintain balance
by using vestibular function and vision. In the Romberg test, the standing
patient is asked to close his or her eyes. A loss of balance is interpreted as a
positive Romberg's test.
• The Romberg test is a test of the body's sense of positioning
(proprioception), which requires healthy functioning of the dorsal columns
of the spinal cord.
• The Romberg test is used to investigate the cause of loss of motor
coordination (ataxia). A positive Romberg test suggests that the ataxia is
sensory in nature, that is, depending on loss of proprioception. If a patient
is ataxic and Romberg's test is not positive, it suggests that ataxia is
cerebellar in nature, that is, depending on localized cerebellar dysfunction instead

151. Mechanical Senses continued
• Somatosensory system includes touch, pressure, cold,
warmth, pain, position and movement of joints
• Most receptors respond to more than one type of stimulus
(e.g. touch and pain responses for a simple bare nerve ending)
• Pacinian corpuscle-detects sudden displacements or high
frequency vibrations on the skin Any deformation in the
corpuscle causes action potentials to be generated by
opening pressure-sensitive sodium ion channels in the axon
membrane. This allows sodium ions to influx, creating a
receptor potential
• Similar to conscious vision and hearing which depend on
primary visual and auditory cortex the primary
somatosensory cortex is essential for conscious touch
experiences

152. Pacinian corpuscle responds best
to sudden displacement of the skin
or high frequency vibration only
briefly to steady pressure
Information from touch receptors
in the head enter the CNS through
the cranial nerves while receptors
below the head send information
into the spinal cord to the brain
(via 31 spinal nerves)

153. Mechanoreceptors
• Meissner's corpuscles (or tactile corpuscles) are a type of
mechanoreceptor. They are a type of nerve ending in the skin
that is responsible for sensitivity to light touch
• Various areas of the (somatosensory)
thalamus send impulses to different
areas of the primary somatosensory
cortex (parietal lobe). Some areas
respond to touch, others to deep
pressure on the
muscles and joints

154. Pain Temperature and Touch
• sensory Information travels through the spinal cord along
well defined pathways to the brain

155. Sensation
• A-beta fibers to spinal cord-2 ascending tracts
• Fasciculus gracilis (lower part of body)
• Fasciculus cuneatus (upper body)