Can one conduct interdisciplinary work as a biological psych researcher?

[Pleonasm]

I am a undergraduate in a non clinical psychology with a special focus in evolutionary psychology, human nature, and personality. I will keep it short and sweet:

- What restrictions are on me as a biological psychologist compared to that of a biologist in terms of conducting research?

- Can I generate debate with biologists about my work, or are social scientist not even important enough to look down upon, given their methods of inquiry?

Thanks!

 

[symbolipoint]

I am a undergraduate in a non clinical psychology with a special focus in evolutionary psychology, human nature, and personality. I will keep it short and sweet:

- What restrictions are on me as a biological psychologist compared to that of a biologist in terms of conducting research?

- Can I generate debate with biologist about my work, or are social scientist not even important enough to look down upon, given their methods of inquiry?

Thanks!

Your posted discussion of post #1 might have more meaning if you could report which courses you have studied so far in college or university.

 

[Pleonasm]

Your posted discussion of post #1 might have more meaning if you could report which courses you have studied so far in college or university.

I have studied: bachelor in philosophy, basic courses in psychology, and next on the horizon is bachelor in psychology, followed by the masters in psychology.

My philosophy background definitely helps my critical reading and evaluations tasks as a psychology undergraduate, for those who are curious.

 

[symbolipoint]

You coursework in Biology or Biological Sciences is currently insufficient for your participation in interdisciplinary research in Psychology and Biology. Maybe some other member who has significant experience interdisciplinary between the two has other insights. At least you want to try to hookup to a group who studies nerves, or studies the brain; and not necessarily of humans - maybe of other mammals or vertebrates.

 

[symbolipoint]

Further Thought - Yes, interest exists in understanding the thoughts of animals other than humans and research has and probably still IS being done on dogs. Some of it has required training dogs to lie still while put into neurological radiation type measurement instruments to take data about the dogs' brains. Do some searches and see what may be found.

 

[Pleonasm]

You coursework in Biology or Biological Sciences is currently insufficient for your participation in interdisciplinary research in Psychology and Biology. Maybe some other member who has significant experience interdisciplinary between the two has other insights. At least you want to try to hookup to a group who studies nerves, or studies the brain; and not necessarily of humans - maybe of other mammals or vertebrates.

I'm asking with regards to future prospects after taking a masters in psychology. There is a subfield of pyschology called evolutionary psychology which I could write my thesis on, if I so choose, and do research in that subject if I get a job at a psychology institute:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_psychology
I'm asking how much of that work could crossover into the natural sciences, which I feel more at home to.

 

[BillTre]

- What restrictions are on me as a biological psychologist compared to that of a biologist in terms of conducting research?

If you are going to use humans as subjects in any experiments (that's what a biological psychologist sounds like to me), you will have to deal with a whole new sets of rules and regulations to safeguard your human subjects. These would be similar to rules for using animals in experiments, but more so. These rules would be the same regardless of your degree. If you were not using humans as subjects, than this would be irrelevant.
A medical doctor's degree (or working with someone who has such a degree) would be necessary for medical interventions and likely other things.
These kinds of things (meeting regulatory requirements etc.) are most easily achieved in an academic or research organization. They will have a bureaucracy set-up to deal with the regulations.

- Can I generate debate with biologists about my work, or are social scientist not even important enough to look down upon, given their methods of inquiry?

It depends upon how you approach people and how approachable those individuals are to you.

 

[Pleonasm]

It depends upon how you approach people and how approachable those individuals are to you.

How I approach people? Do biologists even read papers in evolutionary psychology?