Molecular Psychology

Understanding psychology, the study of how the mind works, can be a first step toward treatment. However, psychology is a broad field that encompasses various sub-disciplines. One of these sub-disciplines is molecular psychology. Although it plays a role in humanity, people may not understand what goes into molecular science and how it functions. 

Tied to chemistry and biology, molecular psychology is a field that combines neuroscience, biology, and psychology to understand the human brain on a more profound level. 

What is molecular psychology?

Researchers use twin subjects with similar genetic profiles to reveal how genes could determine behaviors. Past twin adoption studies explored the effects of genetics on subjects' behaviors. They also explored the effects of the environment on subjects with similar genetic backgrounds, which raised the nature versus nurture question.

Thomas Bouchard's 1979 study on twins raised in separate households pointed to genetic aspects of psychology. Studying identical and fraternal pairs of twins that had been raised separately due to adoption, this research revealed that, although different parents had raised them for nearly 40 years, they have similar preferences and behaviors.

Molecular psychologists also study the brain using biochemistry to learn about neurotransmitters. They might explore physical irregularities in the brain. For example, studies show that people experiencing depression often have thinner frontal lobes, the area in the brain that helps process emotion. Other studies show that individuals living with schizophrenia tend to have a smaller amygdala and thalamus, which control fear and process pain.

How does molecular psychology compare to abnormal psychology?

To understand molecular psychology, it can be helpful to relate it to other areas of psychology. One of these areas is abnormal psychology. 

What is abnormal psychology? 

Abnormal psychology addresses behaviors, feelings, and ways of thinking that are not considered ordinary. "Abnormal," in this context, could refer to any behavior exhibited by a minor percentage of people, behaviors deemed taboo, or those that otherwise provoke adverse reactions in others. 

This branch of psychology classifies behaviors as either adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive behaviors may aid a person's ability to function, conforming to the standards of a social and cultural environment. In contrast, maladaptive behaviors inhibit a person's ability to cope or participate in society.

Abnormal psychologists may treat patients by using cognitive-behavioral therapy and medical intervention. These treatments influence how patients think and behave through talk therapy or medication. 

Differences and similarities 

Molecular psychology also addresses behaviors, feelings, and ways of thinking but does not focus entirely on maladaptive or abnormal behaviors. However, abnormal psychologists might use molecular psychology to explain or explore the reasons behind their clients' behaviors. 

Genetic predispositions to specific social behaviors, such as human aggression and violence, as well as dysfunctions of the brain, are often at play in abnormal psychology. These aspects could make molecular psychology particularly useful for understanding abnormal psychology.

Molecular psychiatry also contributes to the treatment of maladaptive behaviors. If brain function is determined to cause certain behaviors, psychiatrists may use treatments that interact with the brain, such as antidepressants. 

Molecular psychology vs. developmental psychology

Initially studying how children develop into adults, developmental psychology now also explores how thoughts and behaviors evolve over one's lifetime. 

What is developmental psychology? 

Like in cognitive psychology, developmental psychologists focus on a subject's cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and memory development. Between these research areas, developmental psychologists may understand where a person stands in development. 

Different theorists, like Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Erik Erikson, attempted to define the stages of development. Piaget, for instance, suggested four stages of cognitive development that range from birth through age 16. Erik Erikson suggested eight stages of personality development that start at birth and last through a lifetime. This area of study may reveal how people perceive, interact with, develop relationships with, and remember their environment throughout their lives.

Like molecular psychology, developmental psychology concerns itself with the ways that genetics, biology, and the environment affect an individual. In molecular and developmental psychology, psychologists are concerned with nature versus nurture. 

Molecular psychology, however, focuses more on internal structures of the body, such as the brain and its chemical interactions. On the other hand, developmental psychology could rely on observations of behavior rather than observations of the body.

How does it compare to social psychology?

Social psychology explores how individual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by others. Social psychology research illustrates how social situations, group dynamics, and perceptions influence decision-making and behavior. 

Social cognition is a sub-topic in this area of psychology that explores how people process, store and apply information about others. In social psychology, molecular psychological ideas may be applied to understanding hereditary factors, family roles, and mental health conditions based on social challenges. 

How does molecular psychology influence everyday life?

Psychology can play a role in an individual's everyday routine. It can explain the way we think, how we interact with others, and the activities we choose to partake in. Each field of psychology may reveal individual differences that can be used to understand the world's complexity better.

Understanding yourself

When experiencing a mental health condition, you may feel self-blame or embarrassment. However, by learning more about molecular psychology, you can begin to recognize the ways that genetic factors have influenced your mental health.

For example, if your grandmother, mother, and father all experienced depression, molecular psychology could explain why you might be predisposed to develop depression as well. Knowing the genetic factors that play a role in your mental health could help you address symptoms and take precautions. 

Understanding your brain's structure 

You may benefit from knowing how your brain connects to your mental health condition or symptoms. Many mental health conditions can change the brain's structure and the chemicals released during specific situations. Even love can cause the brain to release neurotransmitters and change your mood.  

Some studies have done brain scans on individuals with certain mental health conditions and found that certain brain areas were lit up more than others. In those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one study showed that the amygdala, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex were all impacted by long-term stress after a traumatic event. 

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

Connecting meditation and the brain 

A recent study showed that meditation could grow the size of your brain's hippocampus, which is the area of the brain that controls learning and memory. For this reason, meditation may be a beneficial daily strategy to help you retain information and learn new techniques. Other studies show that meditation can be effective at just ten minutes a day.

Exploring neuroscience 

Exploring molecular psychology can make the physical and scientific causes of mental health concerns feel more understandable. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, you might conduct research through the Oxford Library of Psychology handbooks. They provide compelling perspectives and cutting-edge research across the many disciplines of psychology, including clinical neuroscience and behavioral neuroscience.

Counseling options for understanding psychological processes

Understanding how genetics can influence your mental health may not be a substitute for treating symptoms or mental health conditions. However, finding care may be challenging if you face barriers to mental health care, such as cost, location, or availability. In these cases, online therapy could be beneficial. 

You can talk to a licensed therapist from home for an affordable price through online counseling. Additionally, you may get knowledge to mental health resources, worksheets, and digital webinars to learn more about mental health and biology. If you're interested in online therapy, studies show that it can be as effective as traditional in-person therapy. Platforms like BetterHelp can offer you a database of counselors specializing in various areas of psychology.