Biopsychology and the Nervous System

What the resources cover

The page brings together material on how the nervous system works and how the brain is organised. Many resources look at neurons, neurotransmitters and synaptic transmission. The flashcard deck Neurons and Neurotransmitters asks how neurons communicate and what the central and peripheral nervous systems each contain.

Others cover hemispheric lateralisation and split-brain research, with several resources on Sperry (1968). You will also find studies such as Maguire et al. (2000), Raine et al. (1997) and the adoption study by Kety et al. (1968), plus brain scans, hormones and drugs.

Where to start

Begin with an overview. The mind maps The Nervous System and Biopsychology set out how the central nervous system passes messages to and from the brain. Then move to one topic at a time:

1. Neurons and synaptic transmission.
2. Localisation of function and lateralisation.
3. Key studies, such as Sperry and Raine.
4. Scans, plasticity and biological rhythms.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a mind map first, then test yourself. The quiz Synaptic Transmission pairs well with the mind map of the same name. Try the quiz without looking, note what you missed, then go back to the map for those branches. Flashcards suit key terms, such as the Biopsychology- AS Level Key Terms Revision Cards.

The resources mention exams including A-level Psychology, AP Psychology, IB Psychology, GCSE Psychology, AQA, OCR and WJEC, so school students can look for sets that match their course. University students will find chapter quizzes and course notes. Teachers can pick ready-made sets to share with a class.

Where this unit sits

This unit belongs to the Biological Psychology strand of Psychology. It focuses on the nervous system and brain, so use it alongside your own course notes.

Open a quiz now, or choose a mind map and build your own flashcards from it.