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Biological Psychology
Michael J. Hove, Fitchburg State University
Steven A. Martinez, Temple University
Copyright Year:
Publisher: ROTEL
Language: English
Formats Available
Conditions of Use
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Reviews
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It is impossible to adequately cover all areas of biopsychology in a single text, and some key areas such as comparative psychology are missing. However, the text recognizes this, and the authors justifiably limit the scope of the text mostly to... read more
It is impossible to adequately cover all areas of biopsychology in a single text, and some key areas such as comparative psychology are missing. However, the text recognizes this, and the authors justifiably limit the scope of the text mostly to physiological psychology. Notably lacking are cognitive neuroscience as well as sensation and perception.
The text is accurate including recognizing where nuance and uncertainty exist.
The text mostly focuses on classic findings which are supported by converging sources of evidence and are very unlikely to be overturned. The chapter on research methods is likely to eventually become outdated, but should remain relevant for the foreseeable future barring major revolutions in technology. Inevitably the text includes statements that certain processes or phenomena are currently not well understood (especially in the later chapters), which may require in some cases extensive revisions as the field progresses.
Each chapter covers its topic with a lot of detail, but little (note: not zero) explanation or scaffolding. As a result, throughout the text, a student reader might be left overwhelmed or confused about the material, and/or wondering why a given bit of information matters or how it relates to a broader concept. Some chapters (like the chapter on genes) seemed better suited to intro-level students while others (like the chapter on hormones and behavior) included more jargon with less context.
The text consistently adopts a biological framework in which psychological phenomena are understood as underpinned by physiological activity. It does a good job of conveying this lens to students.
Subsections are generally brief and easy to assign specific ones based on the instructor’s needs. Chapter sections vary widely in length, with some spanning only 1-2 pages and stating that a particular field of research exists rather than reviewing it.
The early chapters cover foundational knowledge such as brain anatomy and basic neurophysiology, while the middle and later chapters cover higher-level and applied topics.
I did notice any interface issues.
I did not notice any grammatical errors.
The first chapter contains a section explaining the value of diversity in the discipline.
As mentioned above, due to the density of detail in some areas and the lack of scaffolding, students might be left overwhelmed or confused about the material. On the other hand, its brevity makes it easy to get through, and a first exposure to these concepts can help students even if it doesn’t make complete sense to them on a first pass. But if I were using this as the primary text in a course, I would think of lecture as the main avenue for student learning. I could also see this text being very useful as a reference to someone who has already learned this material.
Table of Contents
- Front Matter
- Chapter 1: Introduction to Biological Psychology
- Chapter 2: The Brain and Nervous System
- Chapter 3: Neurons
- Chapter 4: Research Methods in Biological Psychology
- Chapter 5: Psychopharmacology
- Chapter 6: Hormones and Behavior
- Chapter 7: Development of the Brain and Nervous System
- Chapter 8: Genetics and Epigenetics in Psychology
- Chapter 9: Emotion and Affective Neuroscience
- Chapter 10: Brain Damage, Neurodegeneration, and Neurological Diseases
- Chapter 11: Biopsychology of Psychological Disorders
- Grant Information
Ancillary Material
Submit ancillary resourceAbout the Book
Biological psychology is the study of the biological bases of behavior and mental processes. It explores how biological factors like genes, hormones, neurotransmitters, and brain structures influence psychological components like thoughts, emotions, memories, and actions. This free and open textbook provides a wide ranging and up-to-date introduction to the main topics and methods of biological psychology.
About the Contributors
Authors
Michael J. Hove is an associate professor of psychology at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts. He received a PhD in psychology at Cornell and held research positions at the Max Planck Institute and Harvard Medical School. In addition to Biological Psychology, he teaches Sensation and Perception, Cognitive Neuroscience, Stats and Research Methods, and psychology seminars on the Science of Meditation, Music and the Brain, and the Climate Crisis. His research interests include rhythm, music and movement, and altered states of consciousness. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, playing music and ice hockey, and hanging with his family. When his 4- and 6-year-old boys had a hard time sleeping, reading a few paragraphs from this book would put them right to sleep. Hopefully it’s not so sleep inducing for you.
Steven Martinez is a graduate student in Psychology and Neuroscience at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed his BS at Fitchburg State University and held research positions at Yale University, the University of California San Francisco, and the San Francisco VA Medical Center. As a graduate student, Steven is studying how digital media habits influence decision-making and how rewarding and threatening properties of motivation impact memory. In his free time, he is most likely playing soccer or exploring Philly.