Neurons

As we earlier discussed in our day to day physical activities the coordinating fun ction of our muscles to do those activities is a necessity.Have you ever considered how the muscles involved in those physical activities?When we consider this we can see that there is a scientific system to activate and coordinate the muscle to perfrom those activities.In this process it necessary for the body to transmit messages to eneble the muscles to produce the complex movements for  successful physical activity.Such messages are transmitted through specialized cells called neurons. Neurons are the basic elements of the nervous system.They are the cells that are specialized for communicating information.It is estimated that they are 100 -200 billion neurons in the brain itself (Feldman,1993)

Neurons have a basic structure of

     Cell body

     One axon

     One or more dendrites

Biology and Behaviour

The purpose of this study post is to help you Understand the biological basis of human behaviour.Hence, in this post you will have to study the biological structures of the body which influence behaviour such as the nervous systems functions in influencing behaviour.

You must understand that behaviour means actions of an individual as a result of biological , psychological and social interactions.

In other words, behaviour is a product of man’s biological ,psychological and socio-cultural environment.Biology means bodily structures or systems such as nervous system , muscular systems and its  functioning.

Cognative Model

“People are disturbed not by things,but by the views which they take of them”

The cognative model focus on how people acquire and interprets information and use it in problem solving.Each person develops schemata, which contain information about different domains in a person’s life, and assist in information processing  and strategy development.In the study of maladaptive behaviour,self-schemata are particularly important.

Humanistic model

The psychological model says that people are in a position to control their lives.Rejecting the views that behaviour is determined largely by automatic biological process , unconscious process of solely by environment it suggests that people are in control of their lives.Humanistic model stresses the role of psychology in enriching peoples’ lives and helping them self-fulfilment.Humanistic psychologists say that people are naturally inclined to develop towards higher levels of maturity and if they are given the opportunity they will strive to reach their full potential.Carl Rogers rejected the psychodynamic approach saying that it has given much emphasis to unconscious process.Rogers developed a new humanitarian theory called “self theory”.In theory he has mentioned that personality development is guided by each of has a personal need for positive regard.Abraham Maslow also  a famous psychologist who has contributed tremendously for the advancement of this model.His theory emphasized two things.

       i.          

Functionalism

In early of 20 century,structuralism was replaced by functinalism which was advocated by functionalists led by american psychloogist-william james."rather than focusing on mind's components Functionalism concentrated on what mind does-the function of mental activity.Functionalists asked what roles behaviour plays in allowing people to adapt to their environment better.Also william james examined the ways in which behaviour allows people to satisfy their needs".

Structuralism

The days of yore :

In the distant past during which the field of psychology was not developed as a social science, the content matter pertaining to the subject had been discussed under philosopy.Aristotle has described mind as a function of bodily process.Hippocrates, the father of medicine has explained mental diseases as a result of brain pathology.In 1590 Rudolf Geol.for the first time has used the word – psychology.According to him psychology means the study of soul.psyche a Latin word means soul or Spirit.Logos means study or Knowledge.William James in 1890 has used the term mind in place of soul and defined psychology as the study of human mind.