Branches of Psychology 1. Developmental Psychology. This is the branch of psychology that studies intra-individual and inter-individual changes.

It is concerned with all aspects of human growth and development process (cognitive, motor, emotional, and social) from prenatal to old age. 2. Comparative Psychology. This is the branch of psychology that studies and compares the behavior of different organisms, species and animals. It aims to discover the similarities and differences between animal behavior and human behavior. 3. Legal or Forensic Psychology. This is the branch of psychology that deals with the application of the principles of human behavior to legal processes. In criminology, it is concerned with the detection of guilt as well as the reliability of testimony. It also studies the psychology of delinquency and crime. 4. Social Psychology. This is the branch of psychology that studies the behavior of a group, its relationship with other groups and its social influences on the behavior of the individual. It focuses on how the individual behaves, thinks and feels in a group. 5. Parapsychology. This is the branch of psychology that investigates all psychological phenomena that cannot be explained using ordinary scientific principles. Examples of such phenomena include extra-sensory perception or E.S.P. 6. Experimental Psychology. This is the branch of psychology concerned with the study of behavior using experimentation. It is also concerned with the development of precise methods of measurement of behavior. Experiments are conducted to find out how people are motivated, how they perceive, think, feel and respond emotionally to given situations. 7. Abnormal Psychology. This is the branch of psychology that studies deviant behavior and the cause of personality defects. 8. Counseling Psychology. This is the branch of psychology that deals with helping people in educational, career or social adjustments. It also deals with the administration and interpretation of psychological tests that measure intelligence, aptitudes and personality. 9. Clinical Psychology. This is the branch of psychology that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and behavioral disorders that are rooted in individual motivation, emotion and personality. 10. Educational Psychology. This is that branch of psychology that focuses on the practical application of psychological principles to education. It studies how the motivation and learning of students may be enhanced through educational strategies and techniques, taking into account their individual differences. 11. Industrial Psychology. This is that branch of psychology that is concerned with the selection, training, supervising and counseling of personnel in business and industry. It also deals with the evaluation of internal organization, effective supervision and communication and employee morale.

Physiological Bases of Behavior The Nervous System The human body is composed of a number of systems of organs, such as the cardiovascular system (the heart, arteries and veins), the digestive system (stomach, intestines, etc.), the respiratory system (lungs, trachea, etc.) but the most complex and elaborate of them all is the nervous system. It is composed of interrelating units that enable man to receive stimuli from the environment and make the necessary responses to such stimuli. The nervous system regulates the behavior of the whole individual in order to survive. The Neuron The neuron or nerve cell process and carry information as well as activate muscles and glands. Therefore, everything that we do can be traced back to the neuron. The brain is composed of a mass of neurons. The Neuron has 3 parts: 1. Dendrites. They appear similar to the roots of a tree. These specialize in receiving signals from other neurons. 2. Cell Body. The cell body process the signal received by the dendrites. It also sends its own message to another neuron using the axon. 3. Axon. The axon is the thin fiber that carries signals away from the cell body and connects with the dendrites of another neuron. Axons may be . 1 millimeter to as long as 1 meter. The 3 Types of Neurons: 1. Sensory. These neurons carry messages from the sense organs towards the central nervous system. 2. Motor. These neurons carry messages from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands. 3. Associating. These connect neurons to each other. The Nerve Impulse: The nerve impulse is an electrical signal from one neuron to another. The microscopic space between two neurons over which the nerve impulse travels is called the synapse. The nerve impulse traverses the synapse when the axon terminals of the sending neuron release neurotransmitters to

the dendrites of the receiving neuron. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that affect the behavior of other neurons. There are as many as 30 different neurotransmitters. Some examples of neurotransmitters are endorphin, dopamine and serotonin. The neuron cannot be replaced. Damage to or destruction of neurons is permanent. The Central Nervous System The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. The Brain The brain is composed of over 100 billion neurons. As we compare different animals from lower forms to higher forms, an increasing proportion of the brain is devoted to the cerebrum. The cerebrum is the highest brain area in humans. Its outer layer is known as the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is the wrinkled gray matter (mostly cell bodies of neurons) the visible outermost layer. The cortex is composed of two hemispheres that are connected by a band of fibers called the corpus callosum. These two hemispheres control the opposite sides of the body. The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body. The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body. The functions of the left hemisphere: 1. It controls language 2. It processes information sequentially The functions of the right hemisphere: 1. It is better at spatial skills, patterns, music. 2. It processes information holistically. The Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex 1. Occipital lobe. This is the primary visual area. 2. Parietal lobe. This is responsible for touch, temperature and pressure. 3. Temporal lobes. They are responsible for auditory information. 4. Frontal lobe. This is associated with higher mental function and control of movement. Subcortex of the Brain The subcortex can be divided into 3 parts. 1. The Hindbrain (or brainstem). The hindbrain consists of the medulla and the cerebellum. The medulla has control over vital life functions including heart rate, breathing, swallowing and the like. The cerebellum regulates posture, muscle tone and muscular coordination. 2. The Midbrain. This is the information switching center of the brain. It serves as the link between the hindbrain and the forebrain. 3. The Forebrain. The forebrain contains the thalamus and the hypothalamus. The thalamus acts as a final switching station for sensory messages. The hypothalamus is the master control center for emotion and basic motives. The hypothalamus affects behaviors such as rage, sex, hormone release, eating and drinking, sleep, walking and emotion. The hypothalamus, parts of the thalamus and other brain structures form the limbic system. The limbic system has a major role in producing emotion and motivated behavior. The amygdala is strongly related to fear. Phobias and anxiety are connected with the function of the amygdala. The Peripheral Nervous System The peripheral nervous system has two subparts. 1. Somatic system. This carries messages to and from the sense organs and skeletal muscles. This system can make your hand move but cannot change your heart rate. 2. Autonomic system. This serves the internal organs and glands of the body. This system can stimulate digestion but cannot make you write a letter. The autonomic system can be subdivided further into two. 1) Sympathetic. This prepares the body for fight or flight situations because of danger or emotional arousal. 2) Parasympathetic. This calms the body after the danger or emotional arousal have ceased. The Spinal Cord The spinal cord acts as a cable connecting the brain to the rest of the body. The spinal cord is responsible for the reflex arc. When a part of the body is accidentally subjected to pain like when you touch a hot surface, the body automatically pulls your hand away from the source of the pain even before you feel that you have been burned. No brain activity is required for the reflex arc.