Definition Essay: Psychobiology.
People have long asked me what exactly it is that I desire to do with
my life. When I answer any number of things, world domination, the
founding of a nudist colony, or to marry a rich old man and live in
comfort, many amused, but patronizing, looks are shot my way. Then I
know, that when they asked, the people in question were inquiring about
plans for an education and a career, not a single act to aspire to.
"Oh." I think, "Time to put on a show." That is normally the point
where I proceed to lose all sorts of people who believe in education,
instead of learning for a purpose. I tell these people I want to study
a double major of Neurology and Psychobiology with a minor in
philosophy. It generally stops most lines of questioning.
But the truth of it stands as such: I will major is psychobiology. And
people still say "What is that?" not why. So I tell them. According to
wikipedia, "Psychobiology, biological psychology, also known as
biopsychology, psychobiology, or behavioral neuroscience is
the application of the principles of biology to the study of mental
processes and behavior. Biological psychologists may often be
interested in measuring some biological variable, an anatomical,
physiological, or genetic variable, in an attempt to relate it
quantitatively or qualitatively to a psychological or behavioral
variable, and thus contribute to evidence based practice" (Wikipedia
2009). Encyclopedias are not considered to be academic sources.
Then many claim that it simply makes no sense and what is the point of
this type of degree anyways? The answer is anything. This type of
practice can be used in any field involving humanity, supported by the
alumni career lists of Binghamton University (Binghamton University 2000not cited properly).
Learning how one's mental state or how people react to the physical
world and then influences their own psychology and physiology is almost
universal in its usefulness. The work behind the major involves the
"study of brain-behavior relations and laboratory training in standard brain research technique. The
Psychobiology major is designed for students who plan to go on to
postgraduate work in physiological psychology, neuroscience, behavioral
aspects of biology, or the health sciences." (UCLA 2007)not cited properly.
To research psychobiolgy is to learn about the human adaptive responses
to external factors, which is an intriguing idea to follow. To what
point can humans manipulate and condition their minds based on
different factors? This is what I want to learn from a study of
psychobiology, and aid the International Society for Developmental
Psychobiology, in it's hope to "foster application of the valid findings of research to human affairs in a way beneficial to mankind"(International
Society for Developmental Psychobiology 2008). This is what i aspire to
do, and so what i will study. I hope I am prepared to major in "[studies
of] the biological aspects of psychology. some courses cover such
topics as the role of biology in thinking and the effect of medications
on behavior and mood as well as research methods and experiment design
(Collegeboard 2006) not cited properly.
Reference List
"Careers in Pychobiology." Psychobiology at Binghamton. http://psychobiology.binghamton.edu/career.html
(accessed January 4, 2009).
"ISDP - Subject Protection in Research." ISDP List Server Information. http://www.isdp.org/html/purpose.html
(accessed January 5, 2009). not used
"Psychobiology B.S.." CIS // college information services. http://cis.ucla.edu/studyArea/course.asp?type=MAJ&code=777
(accessed January 5, 2009). not used
"Psychobiology." :: College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements.
http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/majors/42.1101.html (accessedJanuary 5, 2009). not used
"psychobiolgy - Search results - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=psychobiolgy&go=Go(accessed January 4, 2009).
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