Helmholtz’s Physiological Psychology

Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894) established results both controversial and enduring: analysis of mixed colors and of combination tones, arguments against nativism, and the analysis of sensation and perception using the techniques of natural science. The paper focuses on Helmholtz’s account of sensation, perception, and representation via “physiological psychology”. Helmholtz emphasized that external stimuli of sensations are causes, and sensations are their effects, and he had a practical and naturalist orientation toward the analysis of phenomenal experience. However, he argued as well that sensation must be interpreted to yield representation, and that representation is geared toward objective representation (the central thesis of contemporary intentionalism). The interpretation of sensation is based on “facts” revealed in experiment, but extends to the analysis of the quantitative, causal relationships between stimuli and responses. A key question for Helmholtz’s theory is the extent to which mental operations are to be ascribed a role in interpreting sensation

Unraveled Winter 2012

The Winter 2012 issue of Unraveled features articles on the new undergraduate physiological psychology degree offered at Southern, the Southeastern Psychological Association Conference, alumni updates, and a pictorial directory of the 2012 education and psychology graduates.https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/edpsych/1016/thumbnail.jp

Differences in sympathetic nervous response due to gender

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston UniversityThe sympathetic nervous system, in addition to its many roles as part of the autonomic nervous system, utilizes contact with many organs in the body to recruit them for an immediate response to danger. The multiple survival responses that the sympathetic nervous system manifests are typically known as the fight, flight or freeze response. The freeze response, otherwise referred to as tonic immobility, is being explored here for its survival value in the specific context of gender. It is our belief that in situations of interpersonal aggression, females may be more suited to survive by utilizing a tonic response when they are confronted with violence. Research in the areas of both tonic immobility and gender differences will be explored and compared, as well as animal origins of tonic immobility. It is our hope that by looking at the various studies already conducted on these topics, a path for future research on gender and sympathetic response may be illuminated in the field of physiological psychology