Psychology Unit 2 The Brain

Chapter 3

Nervous System

The Brain

Heredity

The Nervous System

• Nerve cells communicate and send messages throughout body• 100 BILLION

• Neurotransmitters – chemicals• Acetylcholine – Muscle contractions/control• Endorphins – pain control and pleasure• Dopamine – motor controls and reward pleasure

Central Nervous System

• Spinal cord and the brain

• Peripheral Nervous System transmits messages btwn CNS and body• Sympathetic System prepares the body for action

• Flight or Fight response• Parasympathetic System restores the body AFTER action

• Rest and Digest

The Brain

• Hind Brain – Heart Rate, Respiration and breathing• Medulla• Pons• Cerebellum

• Mid Brain – Vision and hearing• Reticular Activating System

• Fore Brain – Thought and emotion• Thalamus• Hypothalamus• Lymbic System• Cerebrum

Phineas Gage

Language and the Brain

• MOST people have language function in the LEFT hemisphere• Brocas Area – controls area of the face responsible for speech• Wernicke’s Area – Understanding speech and forming speech

• Aphasia – damage to Broca’s or Wernicke’s; impairs language skills

• Genie? Others?

Left vs Right Brain DEBUNKED??? You decide…

Left Brain/RIGHT HANDED??

Adept at tasks that involve logic, language and analytical thinking. The “left-brain” person is often described as being better at:

• Language

• Logic

• Critical thinking

• Numbers

• Reasoning

Right Brain/LEFT HANDED??

Best at expressive and creative tasks. The “right-brain” person is often described as being better at:

• Recognizing faces• Expressing emotions

• Music• Reading emotions

• Color• Images• Intuition• Creativity

Heredity - Nature vs Nurture

Nature• Biology determines a

person’s development and personality

Nurture• Environment

determines a person’s development and personality

Heredity is the transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring.

Kinship Studies: common way to study the debate• Twin Studies• Twins Reared Apart• Adoptee Studies

• YOU and your family?! (shudder) Similarities and (hopefully) differences?

Nature vs Nurture Research Assignment

• Find at least TWO studies focused on the debate

• Twin Studies

• Twins Reared Apart

• Adoptee Studies

• Other study based on Nature vs Nurture

• FIVE PARAGRAPHS

• A written summary of each study’s findings, and a reflection of the NvN debate including your research findings and an introspective look at your own personality as it relates to NvN

• Use information presented in class during Unit 2 in addition to your research!!!