2. BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR

3. Questions What does Biology have to do with Psychology? How does the brain produce behavior?

4. What Does Biology Have to Do With Behavior? Every perception, thought, emotion, and action is related to biological activity. The idea that the mind is separate from the body is not plausible scientifically.

5. What Does Biology Have to Do With Behavior? Nervous System Endocrine System Natural Selection and Adaptive Value

6. What Does Biology Have to Do With Behavior? It’s not possible to understand many aspects of Psychology without knowing something about the biological bases of behavior. – How does do we perceive the world? – How do we learn? – What causes emotions? – What causes psychological disorders?

7. How Does the Brain Produce Behavior? The basic units of the nervous system are neurons. How do they work? Neurons are organized into neural networks, pathways, and brain areas. How is the brain organized?

8. How do neurons work? Neurons are cells that are specialized for communication Glial cells support, insulate, nourish, and regulate neurons The human brain has about 100 billion neurons and 900 billion glial cells.

9. How do neurons work? Neurons communicate through an electrochemical process Neurons receive input from other neurons and from sensory organs Each neuron summarizes the input it receives; this determines what message (if any) will be sent to other neurons

10. How do neurons work? Resting potential Excitation and inhibition Threshold Action potential Refractory Period

11. How is the brain organized? Neurons are arranged into networks. Complex behaviors and processes can be produced due to: – Number of neurons – Complexity of interconnections

12. Misconception Alert! It is NOT true that we only use 10% of our brain. There is no meaningful way to measure percentage of the brain being “used.” Multiple brain areas are often active at the same time. Inhibition of neural activity can be just as important as excitation.

13. How is the brain organized? Neurons are located throughout the body – Peripheral Nervous System – Central Nervous System Different areas of the brain have different functions Many processes require coordination across different brain areas

14. How is the brain organized? The hindbrain connects the spinal cord with the brain and controls vital functions – Medulla: breathing, circulation, muscle tone – Pons: sleep, arousal – Cerebellum: coordination

15. How is the brain organized? Limbic system – Thalamus – Hypothalamus – Hippocampus – Amygdala

16. How is the brain organized? Lobes of the cerebrum – Occipital – Temporal – Parietal – Frontal

17. How is the brain organized? The brain is divided into two hemispheres, left and right. Right half of the brain controls the left half of the body and vice-versa. The corpus callosum connects the hemipsheres.

18. How is the brain organized? Left Hemisphere specialized for language, logic, math Right Hemisphere specialized for spatial ability, music, art True for almost all right-handers and many left-handers.

19. Misconception Alert! People are NOT left-brained or right-brained. Right and left hemisphere specialization just means that each hemisphere is better at certain types of processes. The two hemispheres communicate and coordinate with each other.