LESSON 1

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module, the students should be able to:
1. Distinguish the difference between physiology and psychology.
2. Define and explain meaning of Physiological Psychology
3. Identify the importance of Physiological Psychology

LEARNING CONTENT

In its search for understanding human behavior, psychology has drawn this from different
fields of study and researches, genetics, sociology and anthropology for instance have supplies
some clues to puzzle some behavior. To understand physiological psychology, it is necessary to
review the basic concepts and physiological processes that govern the human organism. Two
general systems that must be studied thoroughly are the response mechanism and the internal
environment. The response mechanism is composed of the sense organs, nerves, the peripheral
and central nervous systems, and the muscles and the glands which participate in making the
response. The internal eenvironment is composed of the complex substances that circulate in the
blood, the lymph secretions (such as food materials), glandular secretions, metabolic body
products, and cells which compose the chemical environment of the nervous system and other
parts of the body.

What is physiology?
Physiology is the study of body processes. It is the branch of biology that deals with the normal
functions of living organisms and their parts. It is also the way in which a living organism or bodily
part functions.

How about psychology?

Psychology is the science of behavior or the scientific study of human behavior. It is the
scientific study of all overt activities of the organism as well as all the internal processes that are
presumed to underlie them. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of
study such areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive
processes.

So, how do we define physiological psychology?

Physiological Psychology is the study of the physiological bases of human and animal behavior.
It is the branch of psychology concerned with the relationship between the physical functioning of an
organism and its behavior.

The biology of behavior: Is it physiological or psychological?

The idea that human processes fall into one of two categories, physiological or psychological,
has a long history in many cultures. In Western cultures, it rose to prominence following the Dark
Ages, in response to a 17th century conflict between science and the Roman Church.
 For much of the history of Western civilization, truth was whatever was decreed to be true by
the Church. Then, in about 1400, things started to change. The famines, plagues, and marauding
armies that had repeatedly swept Europe during the Dark Ages subsided, and interest turned to art,
commerce, and scholarship this was the period of the Renaissance, or rebirth (1400 to 1700). Some
Renaissance scholars were not content to follow the dictates of the Church; instead, they started to
study things directly by observing them and so it was that modern science was born. Much of the
scientific knowledge that accumulated during the Renaissance was at odds with Church dictates.
However, the conflict was resolved by the prominent French philosopher René Descartes. Descartes
advocated a philosophy that, in a sense, gave one part of the universe to science and the other part to
the Church. He argued that the universe is composed of two elements: physical matter, which
behaves according to the laws of nature and is thus a suitable object of scientific investigation; and
the human mind (soul, self, or spirit), which lacks physical substance, controls human behavior,
obeys no natural laws, and is thus the appropriate purview of the Church. The human body, including
the brain, was assumed to be entirely physical, and so were nonhuman animals.
Cartesian dualism, as Descartess philosophy became known, was sanctioned by the Roman
Church, and so the idea that the human brain and the mind are separate entities became even more
widely accepted. It has survived to this day, despite the intervening centuries of scientific progress.
Most people now understand that human behavior has a physiological basis, but many still cling to
the dualistic assumption that there is a category of human activity that somehow transcends the
human brain

Importances of Physiological Psychology:

• Helps us understand the sensory functions and how these aid in

perception.
• It helps us understand motor functions, by examining neuronal activities
connected with muscular movements and coordination.
• It explains the relationship between internal states and emotions and
drives.
• It pinpoints the role of cells in learning and memory, and it helps us deal
scientifically with maladjustment and behavioral disorder.

Biological Foundations of Physiological Psychology.

Human is capable of making complex patterns of adjustment to the never ending changes of his
environment. We, as human, were labeled as animal “par excellence”. Man owes his ability for
complex and invariable behavioral adjustments to his environment.

Methods and Approaches to Physiogical Psychology

Philosophical Approach. Physioloogical psychology is actually answering one of the basic questions
in philosophy; the mind-body problem. Even if the mind and body problem is now placed in the
realm of science method and modes of thought and deduction have their roots in philosophy. Much of
Psychology itself originated from the philosophical problems. To ignore philosophy in the study of
psychology would therefore be ignoring its foundations.
Clinical Approach.Clinical experience is an important source of knowledge for physiological
psychology. Illnessess sometimes exhibit symptoms that are psychological in nature. Studying these
cases led to symptoms that are psychological in nature.

Experimental method. To set up more controlled conditions, physio-psychological researches

experiment in the laboratory to arrive at a more definite and valid conclusion that can be produced in
a clinical setting.

REFERENCES:

BOOKS

Pinel J. & Bernes S. (2018) Biopsychology 10th Edition, Pearson Education Limited.

Gaerlan, J E., Limpingco, DA., and Tria, Geraldine E. (2007) Physiological Basis ofHuman
Behavior Third Edition, Ken Inc.

INTERNET

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/physiological-psychology