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01-03-2012 | Review

Some unsettled problems in behavioral neuroscience research

Auteur: Frank Rösler

Gepubliceerd in: Psychological Research | Uitgave 2/2012

Abstract

The goal of behavioral neuroscience is to map psychological concepts onto physiological and anatomical concepts and vice versa. The present paper reflects on some of the hidden obstacles that have to be overcome in order to find unique psychophysiological relationships. These are, among others: (1) the different status of concepts which are defined in the two domains (ontological subjectivity in psychology and ontological objectivity in physiology); (2) the distinct hierarchical levels to which concepts from the two domains may belong; (3) ambiguity of concepts, because—due to limited measurement resolution or definitional shortcomings—they sometimes do not cover unique states or processes; (4) ignored context dependencies. Moreover, it is argued that due to the gigantic number of states and state changes, which are possible in a nervous system, it seems unlikely that neuroscience can provide exact causal explanations and predictions of behavior. Rather, as in statistical thermodynamics the transition from the microlevel of explanations to the macrolevel is only possible with probabilistic uncertainty.

vorige artikel How to reconcile brain and mind?

volgende artikel Eye movements and brain electric potentials during reading

The term Cognitive Neuroscience was introduced around 1980 by Michael Gazzaniga and George Miller to define an area of research that has its focus on psychologically oriented neuroscience [in contrast to the more (general) physiologically oriented neuroscience program]. However, the topics of cognitive or better Behavioral Neuroscience have a much longer history. Actually it was Wilhelm Wundt who laid the corner stone with his Grundzüge der physiologischen Psychologie (Wundt, 1874). Before the term cognitive neuroscience had been coined the topics were covered under the labels Biological Psychology, Physiological Psychology, Biopsychology, and Psychophysiology (e.g., early textbooks by Rosenzweig & Leiman, 1982; Watson, 1981; Pinel, 1992, or journals as The Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology whose first issue appeared 1921, Behavioral Neuroscience (1983), and Psychophysiology (1964).

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Titel: Some unsettled problems in behavioral neuroscience research
Auteur: Frank Rösler
Publicatiedatum: 01-03-2012
Uitgeverij: Springer-Verlag
Gepubliceerd in: Psychological Research / Uitgave 2/2012
Print ISSN: 0340-0727
Elektronisch ISSN: 1430-2772
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-011-0408-6

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