‘Students worldwide will enjoy this text...a first choice for the next B generation of undergraduates studying biology and psychology.’ i Dr William Brown, University of East London o l o g 3rd edition Frederick Toates Assuming no prior knowledge of biology and building upon previous editions, i is a Professor of Biological Psychology 3rd edition uses everyday experiences to explain complex c Biological Psychology at concepts in an interesting and engaging way. This is complemented by a the Open University who range of inventive pedagogical features and extensive full-colour illustrations to a has 44 years experience stimulate interest and help students to develop and test their understanding. l of researching and teaching the subject Features P Biological across the UK, continental Europe and • Learning outcomes, section summaries and ‘test your knowledge’ questions s the USA. are included to aid the learning process and allow students to manage their y progress. • A dedicated feature on evolutionary psychology explains and explores this c Psychology topic in depth. h • Greater depth in neuroscience and its methods ensures students are o introduced to the debates within this topical area. l o W E B Go to www.pearsoned.co.uk/toates for accompanying video clips, interactions, animations, self-test questions and research updates to help g students consolidate their understanding and prepare for assessment. y Frederick Toates ‘Toates cleverly weaves in perspectives from evolutionary psychology and uses current and relevant real-life examples to illuminate key F points. ...should be at the top of any psychology student’s book list.’ r Dr Michelle Lee, Swansea University e d e ACCESS ‘Toates is an excellent teacher and a real authority in this area. r CODE INSIDE This textbook captures his knowledge and understanding, and his ic unlock valuable infectious love of the subject.’ k online learning resources Dr Graham Mitchell, The University of Northampton T o a t e s 3rd edition ‘Toates introduces the main topics of neuroscience in a beautifully simple yet highly informative manner... and I strongly recommend it in the study of biological psychology.’ www.pearson-books.com Dr Anna Scarnà, Oxford Brookes University CVR_TOAT4994_03_SE_CVR.indd 1 19/01/2011 11:51 We work with leading authors to develop the strongest educational materials in psychology, bringing cutting-edge thinking and best learning practice to a global market. Under a range of well-known imprints, including Prentice Hall, we craft high quality print and electronic publications that help readers to understand and apply their content, whether studying or at work. To find out more about the complete range of our publishing, please visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk. 3rd edition Biological Psychology Frederick Toates The Open University Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh Gate Harlow Essex CM20 2JE England and Associated Companies throughout the world Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk First published 2001 Second edition 2007 Third edition 2011 © Pearson Education 2001, 2011 The right of Frederick Toates to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. The use of any trademark in this text does not vest in the author or publisher any trademark ownership rights in such trademarks, nor does the use of such trademarks imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this book by such owners. ISBN: 978-0-273-73499-4 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Toates, F. M. (Frederick M.) Biological psychology / Frederick Toates. -- 3rd ed. p. cm. ISBN 978-0-273-73499-4 (pbk.) 1. Psychobiology. I. Title. QP306.T632 2011 612.8--dc22 2010046059 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 15 14 13 12 11 Typeset in 9/12pt Stone Serif by 30 Printed and bound by Rotolito Lombarda, Italy Brief contents Chapter 1 Introduction  1 Chapter 2 Genes, environment and evolution  20 Chapter 3 The nervous and endocrine systems  49 Chapter 4 How the cells of the nervous system work  82 Chapter 5 The brain: basics of structure and role  105 Chapter 6 Development and plasticity  150 Chapter 7 Sensory systems: general principles  184 Chapter 8 Vision  196 Chapter 9 The other sensory systems  224 Chapter 10 The control of movement  250 Chapter 11 Learning and memory  281 Chapter 12 Emotion  311 Chapter 13 Stress and coping  340 Chapter 14 Pain  363 Chapter 15 Motivation  383 Chapter 16 Feeding and drinking  409 Chapter 17 Sexual behaviour  440 Chapter 18 Drugs and addiction  467 Chapter 19 Sleep and waking  491 Chapter 20 Cognition and action  514 Chapter 21 Brains, minds and consciousness  546 Chapter 22 When things go wrong  563 Glossary  587 References  601 Index  648 ‘Professor of Biological Psychology Frederick Toates from The Open University has done the field an enormous service in the Third Edition of Biological Psychology. Students worldwide will enjoy this text as it sets a new benchmark for a life science approach to brain and behav- iour. The inclusion of evolutionary (both ultimate function and phylogeny), neurobiological and developmental perspectives on brain and behaviour make this textbook a first choice for the next generation of undergraduates studying biology and psychology.’ Dr William Brown, University of East London ‘Biological Psychology is the only biological text that places the physiology and and neuro- science of behaviour firmly in the broader context of psychology. Toates cleverly weaves in perspectives from evolutionary psychology and uses current and relevant real-life examples to illuminate key points. This updated and improved 3rd edition should be at the top of any psychology student’s book list.’ Dr Michelle Lee, Swansea University ‘Toates’ third edition is both readable and palatable. It arouses interest by focusing on the thought-provoking questions that arise within a study of biological psychology. The author’s conversational style is helpful as he talks the reader through the more straightforward and also the more conceptually demanding sections. Although accessible, the text provides a thorough account of key areas. It answers questions and stimulates interest. This up-to-date third edition retains the excellent pedagogical features of the previous edition. This is an enormously useful textbook. The author understands the problems, questions and fascina- tions of biological psychology students . Toates is an excellent teacher and a real authority in this area. This textbook captures his knowledge and understanding, and his infectious love of the subject.’ Dr Graham Mitchell, University of Northampton ‘If the processes of the mind and brain have baffled you, this book is the key to unlocking its mysteries. Toates introduces the main topics of neuroscience in a beautifully simple yet highly informative manner. Each topic is covered in a massively integrative way. This renders the text suitable for both students and lay readers, for both medics and psychologists, for both undergraduates and postgraduates. Chapters are hugely informative and achieve the perfect combination of presenting scientific findings and research with the author’s personal experience and good humour. This text is engaging at all times, and I strongly recommend it in the study of biological psychology. No stone is left unturned in the quest for understand- ing the brain.’ Dr Anna Scarnà, Oxford Brookes University Contents Preface  xiii Summary of Chapter 2  47 Guided tour of the textbook and website  xvi Further reading  48 Reviewers  xx Answers  48 Acknowledgements  xxi Chapter 3 The nervous and endocrine systems Chapter 1 introduction Introduction  50 Why should a psychologist be interested in biology?  2 What nervous systems do  51 The physiology of the body  5 Neurochemical actions at synapses  58 Some sources of understanding  7 Neurons: development and learning  61 The way of thinking of biological psychologists  11 Terminology and organization of the nervous  system  63 Genes, development and learning  14 Hormones – the endocrine system  68 The comparative approach: psychology and  ethology  15 The autonomic nervous system  73 Linking brains and minds  16 Bringing things together  80 Bringing things together  18 Summary of Chapter 3  81 Summary of Chapter 1  19 Further reading  81 Further reading  19 Answers  81 Answers  19 Chapter 4 How the cells of the nervous system work Chapter 2 Genes, environment and evolution Introduction  83 Introduction  21 The neuron as a typical cell  83 Principles of evolution  22 The neuron: an excitable cell  87 Processes controlling behaviour  24 Glial cells  91 Genes, replication and reproduction  28 The synapse and neurotransmitters  94 The process of inheritance  31 Alterations in synaptic strength  100 Genes, brains and behaviour  33 Bringing things together  103 Genes, learning and the environment  36 Summary of Chapter 4  104 Evolutionary psychology  39 Further reading  104 Depression: a case study  41 Answers  104 Bringing things together  47 viii CONTENTS Further reading  195 Chapter 5 T he brain: basics of Answers  195 structure and role Introduction  106 Chapter 8 Vision Describing the brain and finding your way around it  106 Relating structure to role: sensory and motor  systems  114 Introduction  197 Emotion, regulation and motivation  122 Within the eye  198 Integration, reasoning, planning and anticipation  129 Basics of visual pathways  207 Comparative and evolutionary perspectives  130 Functional specialization: perception and action  211 Techniques for studying the brain  137 Functional specialization within perception  215 Bringing things together  148 Linking brain activity and conscious perception  219 Summary of Chapter 5  149 Bringing things together  222 Further reading  149 Summary of Chapter 8  223 Answers  149 Further reading  223 Answers  223 Chapter 6 D evelopment and plasticity Chapter 9 The other sensory systems Introduction  151 Conceptual issues in development  152 Introduction  225 The basic biology of nervous system development  156 Hearing  225 Development of neurons, neural systems and  The vestibular system  231 behaviour  162 The somatosensory system  232 Hormones and development  167 Chemical senses – taste and smell  242 The brain: cognitive and social development  171 Bringing things together  249 Atypical development and health issues  174 Summary of Chapter 9  249 Ethology and a comparative perspective  176 Further reading  249 Change and plasticity in adults  178 Answers  249 Bringing things together  182 Summary of Chapter 6  183 Chapter 10 The control of Further reading  183 movement Answers  183 Introduction  251 Basics of control  252 Chapter 7 S ensory systems: How stability is maintained  256 general principles Muscles and motor neurons  259 Introduction  185 The control of skeletal muscle  262 Sensory systems and perception  186 The control of movement by the brain  266 General principles  190 From brain to motor neurons  274 Bringing things together  194 Motor imagery  276 Summary of Chapter 7  195 CONTENTS ix Development of motor systems  278 Brain mechanisms  352 Bringing things together  279 Depression  354 Summary of Chapter 10  279 Stress and the cardiovascular system  355 Further reading  280 Post-traumatic stress disorder  357 Answers  280 Influence of stress on the gut  358 Positive action for health  359 Chapter 11 Learning and Bringing things together  360 memory Summary of Chapter 13  361 Further reading  362  Introduction  282 Answers  362 The learning tradition  283 The memory tradition  293 Linking brains to evolution and function  302 Chapter 14 Pain Cellular mechanisms  304 Bringing things together  309 Introduction  364 Summary of Chapter 11  310 Adaptive value of pain  365 Further reading  310 Tissue damage and the sensory input side  366 Answers  310 The gate theory  368 Brain processes  370 Analgesia  372 Chapter 12 Emotion Some unusual types of pain  374 Cognitive and social factors: theory and therapy  378 Introduction  312  Bringing things together  381 The nature and function of emotion  313 Summary of Chapter 14  382 Some emotions and their triggers  319 Further reading  382 Feedback from the periphery  323 Answers  382 Role of brain regions  326 Neurochemicals  334 Some other effects of emotions  335 Chapter 15 Motivation Bringing things together  338 Summary of Chapter 12  338 Introduction  384 Further reading  339 Properties of motivation  386 Answers  339 The neuroscience of motivation  389 Temperature regulation  393 Social behaviour  396 Chapter 13 Stress and coping Aggression  399 Exploration  404 Introduction  341 Bringing things together  406 Characterizing stress  342 Summary of Chapter 15  407 Two neurohormonal systems  344 Further reading  408 Stressors, contexts and reactions  346 Answers  408 Stress and the immune system  349