"kasamatsu" - 1 õppematerjal

Psühholoogia bioloogiline-, kognitiivne- ja sotsiaalne vaade

of analysis. Biological researchers often adopt a reductionist approach to the study of human behavior. They work on a micro-level of research, breaking down complex behavior into its smallest parts (e.g. genes, neurotransmitters or proteins). This approach is sometimes criticized for being overly simplistic, but it is important to have detailed information of the components of human behavior in order to understand the interaction of several factors. Kasamatsu and Hirai studied a group of Buddhist monks who went on a 72-hour pilgrimage to a holy mountain in Japan. During this time the monks did not eat, drink or speak and were exposed to cold, autumn weather. About 48 hours later they started to have hallucinations, often about their ancestors. The researchers took blood samples from the monks before the ceremony and immediately after the monks reported seeing hallucinations. They found that serotonin levels had increased in their brains