Physiological psychology

Abstract

In the preceding chapter it was emphasized that psychology is the scientific study of behaviour. Why then should psychologists involve themselves in such a specialized area as physiology in order to explain behaviour? They do this because behaviour occurs in response to some form of stimulation, originating from either inside or outside the organism. Information from the external environment in the form of energy (light waves, sound waves, etc.) impinges on the various sense receptors (in the eyes, ears, skin, etc.), is translated into a common code and rapidly transmitted via the nervous system to the brain. In response to this information behaviour occurs. In other words, without a nervous system, the organism could never be aware of, store information about, or respond appropriately to its environment. We rarely think about attending to the physiological functioning underlying behaviour. But there is a complex underpinning by nervous, glandular and genetic events of overt behaviour.