1. Chapter 2: Neuroscience & Biological Foundations
Psychology in Action
Chapter 2: Neuroscience &
Biological Foundations

2. Neural Bases of Psychology
Neuroscience:
interdisciplinary field studying how biological processes relate to behavioral & mental processes

3. Neural Bases of Psychology (Continued)
Our nervous system consists of neurons (cells responsible for receiving & transmitting electrochemical information).

4. Neural Bases of Psychology: The Structure of a Neuron

5. Neural Bases of Psychology: Applying Psychology to Everyday Life
Key neurotransmitters:
Serotonin
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Dopamine (DA)
Norepinephrine (NE)
Epinephrine (adrenaline)
GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid)
Endorphins

6. Nervous System Organization
Central Nervous System (CNS): brain & spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): all nerves & neurons connecting CNS to the rest of the body
PNS is subdivided into the somatic & autonomic nervous systems
Autonomic nervous system subdivided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

8. Nervous System Organization: Central Nervous System (CNS)
Brain
Spinal Cord (transmits information into & out of the brain )

9. Nervous System Organization: Central Nervous System (CNS)
The spinal cord is also responsible for involuntary, automatic behaviors called reflexes.

10. Nervous System Organization: Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
PNS connects CNS to the rest of the body & is subdivided into:
Somatic Nervous System (SNS): connects to sensory receptors & controls skeletal muscles
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): controls involuntary bodily functions & is further subdivided into:
Sympathetic Nervous System (arouses)
Parasympathetic Nervous System (calms)

11. Nervous System Organization
Actions & functions of the Sympathetic (arouses) & Parasympathetic (calms) Nervous Systems:

12. A Tour Through the Brain

13. A Tour Through The Brain: Hindbrain
Three key structures & functions of the hindbrain:
Medulla: life survival functions
Pons: respiration, movement, waking, sleeping, & dreaming
Cerebellum: coordination of fine muscular movement, balance, & some aspects of perception & cognition

14. A Tour Through The Brain (Continued)
Midbrain: collection of brain structures in the middle of the brain; coordinates movement patterns, sleep, & arousal
Reticular Formation: runs through the hindbrain, midbrain, & brainstem; screens incoming information & controls arousal

15. A Tour Through The Brain (Continued)
Forebrain: collection of upper-level brain structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, & limbic system
Thalamus: relays sensory messages to the cerebral cortex
Hypothalamus: responsible for drives, hormones, & regulating the body’s internal environment

16. Structures of the Forebrain

17. A Tour Through The Brain (Continued)
Limbic System: interconnected group of forebrain structures involved with emotions, drives, & memory

18. Case Study: Terri Schiavo
1990, at the age of 26, Terri suffered a cardiac incident that left her neurologically damaged due to lack of oxygen to the brain
Her husband and some of her doctors argued that she was in a persistent vegetative state and demonstrated no higher level brain function
Her parents argued that her ability to respond emotionally to her parents at times and breath on her own was “proof of life”

19. Her husband took the case to the highest courts in the US where the judge determined that she was indeed in a persistent vegetative state with no chance of recovery
Her feeding tube was removed and she died in 2005

20. What are your thoughts?
Do you think there was sufficient proof to keep Terri alive?
At what point do you feel that lack of brain function supercedes life?
Is “awareness” enough to say that a person is still functioning?

21. A Tour Through The Brain: Cerebral Cortex
Cerebral Cortex: thin surface layer on the left & right cerebral hemispheres; regulates most complex behavior, including sensations, motor control, & higher mental processes

22. A Tour Through The Brain: Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex (Continued)

23. A Tour Through The Brain: Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex
Frontal Lobes: receive & coordinate messages from other lobes; responsible for motor control, speech production, & higher functions, such as thinking, personality, emotion, & memory

24. Case Study: Phineas Gage
1848 – a miner by the name of Phineas Gage had a 13 pound, 3.5 foot long iron rod blown through his frontal lobes.
How did this affect his short- & long-term behavior & mental processes?

25. A Tour Through The Brain: Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex (Continued)
Parietal Lobes: located at the top of the brain directly behind the frontal lobes; responsible for interpreting bodily sensations
Temporal Lobes: located on each side of the brain above the ears; responsible for audition, language comprehension, memory, & some emotional control

26. A Tour Through The Brain: Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex (Continued)
Occipital Lobes: located at the back of the brain; responsible for vision & visual perception

27. A Tour Through The Brain: Lateralization
The left & right hemispheres of your
brain each specialize
in particular (but often overlapping) operations.

28. Our Genetic Inheritance
Behavioral Genetics: studies the relative effects of nature (heredity, genes, & chromosomes) & nurture (environment) on behavior & mental processes
Remember: As we learned in our last unit, the biopsychosocial perspective says there are multiple forces at work
Are both nature and nurture at work in explaining human behavior?

29. Our Genetic Inheritance: Genes & DNA
The nucleus of every cell contains genes, which carry the code for hereditary transmission. These genes are arranged along chromosomes
Two Major Types: Dominant and Recessive Genes
Need only one dominant but two recessives for a gene
Traits are controlled by multiple genes
Ex. Brunette hair color is considered dominant, blond is considered recessive = child more likely to have brunette hair
Fortunately, most serious genetic disorders are not transmitted through a dominant gene – can you guess why?