A Text Book of Psychology for Nurses – Unit II

Unit-2ndBiology of behavior
Body mind relationship- modulation process in health and illness-

What is Mind-? Mind body relationship: -

Research conduct on mental processes
showed that mind worked as a whole. Also,
research indicated that if a specific part of brain
is damaged then other parts of brain take over its
function.
Mind is not only a ‘whole’ entity but it is
also dynamic whole. Mind keeps on changing.
Mental abilities and processes continue to
change as a result of their interaction with
environment Freud has described three elements
Id, ego, superego while discussing mental
process.
Initially, only the conscious part of mind
was the subject matter of psychology. At that
time supernatural powers or the reasons beyond
the human reach were considered to be behind
these behaviors but today some actions and
behaviors of people are believed to have
originated in subconscious and unconscious
mind. Freud says ego is partially conscious,
partially unconscious and it mediates between
these two.
Thus, in modern psychology mind is conscious
unconscious dynamic whole.
At times you are enjoyed in your work and at
other time it is not also. Despite all your efforts
there is a corner of your mind that is not ready to
work and that is why you are not able to work
with full concentration obviously mind is not
only single entity. It has many aspects and many
levels.
Once can work efficiently when all these are
unified and whenever there is a discard among
them one cannot work properly.
Psychology discusses these levels & various
aspects of mind.
In short these have been divided into conscious,
subconscious and unconscious.
Psychology tells us about our cognitive conative
and affective processes. These processes built
our conscious mind. On the other hand, a large
part of these processes is present in unconscious
as well.
Psychological measures should be used to learn
about it, as it is not possible to know it directly.
After discussing different level of mind its
aspects now we can discuss its integration with
body. Principle of parallelism in mind and body

Omprakash Swami (Author) - Associate Professor, Mahatma Gandhi Nursing College, Jaipur
A Text Book of Psychology for Nurses – Unit II
was prevalent in ancient times. As per it mind
and body are two aspects of same thing because
of which whatever happens in mind parallel it to
something happens in body and similarly, if
something happens in body it has an impact of
mind.
This principle is not recognized today nowadays
mind body relationship is discussed in light of
the principle of interactionism.
According to interactionism mind body react to
each other.
For example: - in a normal healthy individual
mental activity increase if blood pressure rises.
Indigestion leads to irritation is no dearth
of such example in which mental
condition affects physical condition.
For example: - motivating factors of all our
physical activities are mental condition.
Our emotions and feelings affect our
physical activities.
Excessive thinking & mental work also
produce physical fatigue.
Close relation of body & mind can be seen in the
activities of brain. Human brain is more
developed than other animals.
Whenever it is hurt it defect the activities of
man. This effected also changes the seriousness
of injury.
Omprakash Swami (Author) - Associate Professor, Mahatma Gandhi Nursing College, Jaipur
Nerves send the information of bodily sensations
to brain on the orders of brain reach the external
sense organ because of which activity seen in the
men.
This relation between body and mind can be
further understood in the detailed discussion of
response mechanism, nervous system & brain
activity.
Discovery of mind: - body relation has led to
revolution in the field of medicine.
Today not only the physical but also the
psychological effects of every medicine are
studied & taken care of in treatment.
Genetics & behavior:
Heredity environment: -
There are countless species on this earth. Every
species is unique in itself & can be easily
distinguished through some specific
characteristics. Thus, we can safely have
identified a rabbit, cow, and a tiger. The member
of one species definitely resemble each other but
do not bear resemblance to other species possess
unique characteristics that are common to their
own species.
It is true that all cows appear alike on account of
their species – specific characteristics. Yet we
are able to distinguish our own cow from so
many other cows. Similarly, our own brother &
sister from a group of children.
A Text Book of Psychology for Nurses – Unit II
This is due to the fast that besides the species & natural, built, social, internal/external
their specific characteristics. environment.

The answer of these similarities&variation in the The pollutant in the environment have been
term &hereditary in environment. linked to chronic disease such as cancer, asthma
& cardiovascular health problem. For instance,
1- Heredity: - it is passing the traits to the
the relationship exists between global warming
offspring. This is process by which an
and malaria, ozone depletion & skin cancer &
offspring cell or organism. It is seen that
the health impact of persistent organic pollutants
particular genes influence the development of
such as DDT.
human traits like intelligence & personality.
(dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)
Genetics behavior: - it is the amount of
variation seen in particular population. The Now’ nature versus nurture’ ignores the only
differences occur in different communities, races separate effects of genes & environment on
or ethnic group that lead to individual differences individual differences.
among population. The games have an impact on
Gene &chromosomes: - genes are the basic
the characteristics of human being. Like the
unit of heredity. The term gene’ was used
Japanese& Chinese have significant appearance
previously to mean the heredity factors that
then white &Indian.
determined a characteristics or traits.
For exam: diabetes mellites is inherited as a
Today a gene can be more precisely defined as a
heterogenous, multigenic trait.
segment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). That
(a) Genetic variabilities: - it is a measure of the encodes or determines the structureof an amino
tendency of individual Geno types in a acid chain or poly peptide.
population to vary from one another. The
The normal human has chromosomes number in
genetic variability described the
most somatic (body) cells & in the zygote is 46
susceptibility of organism to disease &
this is known as the diploids (2n) number.
sensitivity to toxins or drug.
2- Environment: - though there many Chromosomes occur in pairs, normally one of

evidences for genetic influence on the human each pair is derived from the individual mother

variabilities, but still it is not very clear. So & one of each pairs derived from father.

many believe that the environment of the There are 22 pairs of autosomes (chromosomes
person effects the human’s body. It can be common to both sexes) & one pair of sex

Omprakash Swami (Author) - Associate Professor, Mahatma Gandhi Nursing College, Jaipur
A Text Book of Psychology for Nurses – Unit II
chromosomes female are 2 chromosomes (xx) &
male are (xy).
Heredity &Environment: -
The twin’smechanism: -life is the result of
fusion of two cells. In a normal case when a
single ovum is fertilized by sperm cell of the
male, it results in the birth of a single offspring.
Now ever in some cases, this normal function is
distributing&their ae cases of multiple birth i.e.
The birth of two or more offspring at a time.
There are two types of twins, are as follow.
(a) homozygotic twins: - have been called
the most common human structural
defect.
They are derived from cleavage of a
single fertilized ovum. In the process of
fertilization of two ovum by sperm, the
ovum is made to split in to two parts. In a
normal process, these parts are again
united. Sometimes however, it
happens that these two-split part fails to
unite together. The result is that each part
is developed into a complete individual in
the form of a pair of identical twins.
(b) Dizygotic twins: - respect
fertilization of two ova, most likely
ruptured from two distinct follicles
usually of the same or one from each
ovary, by two sperms during a single
ovarian cycle.
Omprakash Swami (Author) - Associate Professor, Mahatma Gandhi Nursing College, Jaipur
The dizygotic twins may be result from
both autosomal recessive & autosomal
dominant inheritance.
Principles of heredity: - (how heredity
operates)
1) Likes tends to be get like: - black colored
parents generally have black children, tall
parent’s tall children, bright parent’s bright
children and so on. This hold good of all
other characteristics and social differences.
2) Principles of variance: - only certain traits
follow hereditary laws. Common observation
shows that although likes tends to be get like,
yet the resemblances of parents and their off
springs are never perfect. Black eyed
children may be born to brown eyed parents.
Even the two twins are not exactly alike.
3) Principles of convergence of two life
stream: - a portion of inheritance comes
from the maternal sides and the remaining
portion is contributed by the paternal sides
so
that is the child’s maternal and paternal lines,
both contributed about fifty percent each of
his inheritance. Most specially, it is generally
assumed that ½ comes from parents. ¼
comes from his grandparents. 1/8 from has
from
great grandparents & so on from all the other
more remote ancestors.
4) Principle of chance: - chances play an
important role, making any absolute
predication almost impossible.
A Text Book of Psychology for Nurses – Unit II
5) Principles of dominant and recessive
traits: -some traits are dominants while other
are recessive causing apparent exception to
the principle of like produce like.
The union of best traits of the father with
the best traits of the mother produces
talented children. Therefore, a talented
father or mother must be the off spring of
the best combination of the determiners
in the germ cell of his or her parents but
such gifted parents may carry on the
determiners of genes which are average.
There are many chances that when they
produce a child of average traits combine
and a child of average caliber may be the
result.
Psychology of sensation: -
Psychology studies the human behavior.
The physical process of body also affects
behavior. Behavior is actually a response to a
stimulus.
What is response mechanism?
Following organs are included in the response
mechanism of animal and men.
Receptor: - these include sense organ like eyes,
nose, ears, tongue and skin etc. because they
receive the sensation. Human behavior begins
with these and once the sensation is received its
response or reaction also begins from these.
Omprakash Swami (Author) - Associate Professor, Mahatma Gandhi Nursing College, Jaipur
Effectors: - these include muscles and glands
these are responsible for actual response.
Nervous system: -this conduct the response. It
joins the receptors and effectors.
How does response mechanism work?
Environment of man affect his body sun heat and
cold etc. all affect our body. Body responds the
external stimuli. This response changes the
external environments. Thus, the action-reaction
between man and environment continues. This
action and reaction depends on receptor and
effectors. Receptor receives excitement from the
environment & effectors change the environment
by their response. Man has number of receptor
cells. Millions of them are present in eyes.
Similarly, effectors muscles have number of
muscles fibers. Nerves join receptors and
effector and then only response becomes
possible. These carry message from nervous
system to muscles.
Receptor and sense organs: -
What are receptor?
Receptor cells are the cells, which receive
physical sensation from the environment and
because of which animal’s adaption to
environment begins. Receptor develops in order.
Psychology of sense organs and nurse: -
Knowledge of the working of sense organ and
their defects is very important for a nurse. So,
A Text Book of Psychology for Nurses – Unit II
while serving the patient nurse should pay especially children and old people are
attention to following: - easily affected by it.

1- Effect of the color of environment: -

Color surrounding the patient has good or
bad effect on his psychology. Some
colors sooth the nerves while other
excites them.
Patient who required rest should have
light color flowers and curtains in his
room.
2- Effect of light: -
Light of the room is closely related to the
comfort of the patient. Therefore, the
room should have sufficient light.
3- Effect of noise: -
Loud sound has an adverse effect on the
patient and it increases his excitement.
Nurse should make arrangement to keep
the noise level as low as possible, so as
patient sleep is not disturbed.
4- Effect of smell: -
Smell of medicine and other smell
emanating from bodies are a natural part
of hospitals. Hence, nurses should keep,
the room, bed & the patients clean so as
the place is free from unpleasant smells.
If the food is pleasant smell, patient will
like it & it will digest quickly.
5- Effects of skin sensations: -
Sensation of skin also has a specific
effect on the patient. This also include the
sensation of heat & cold patient

Omprakash Swami (Author) - Associate Professor, Mahatma Gandhi Nursing College, Jaipur