Unit 2: The Body and Behavior

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Unit 2 The Body and Behavior
The importance of the brain and biological
influence!
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The influence of the Body on Behavior

• The Phinneus P. Gage Story
• Back in the 1800s, there was a man named
  Phinneus P. Gage who was working on a railroad.
  His job was to use explosives to blow away ground
  so that they could lay track. He was generally
  considered a kind and gentle man. One day an
  accident happened and the tamping rod was blown
  clean through his head. Surprisingly he did not
  die, but he did show a complete personality
  change. He became a drunk, was violent, and
  completely irresponsible. This led to an
  interest in how the brain controls behavior and
  personality.

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Physiological Psychology

• This field of study has been called physiological
  psychology but is now more frequently called
  Psychobiology, biopsychology, or neuroscience.
  The focus of study is generally how the brain
  controls all aspects of our behavior.

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How the Nervous System Works

• The Nervous System is never at restIt is always
  regulating your body functions.
• There are 2 primary parts to the structure of the
  Nervous System
• 1.) Central Nervous System (CNS) The Brain and
  Spinal Cord. Note The spinal cord is comprised
  of nerves that run up and down the length of the
  back and transmit most messages between the body
  and the brain.
• 2.) Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) Nerves
  branching out from the spinal cord.
• Why is it important to protect the Spinal Cord?

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The Central and Peripheral Nervous System
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How the Nervous System Works

• Messages to and from the brain travel along the
  nerves, which are long, thin cells called
  neurons.
• Neurons The long, thin cells of nerve tissue
  along which messages travel to and from the
  brain.
• The Neurons consist of 3 basic parts
• - 1.) The Cell Body is the main, or center
  part of the neuron. It contains the nucleus and
  produces the energy needed to fuel neuron
  activity.

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How the Nervous System Works

• - 2.) The Axon a tail like structure that
  carries information away from the cell body.
• - 3.) The Dendrites are usually small, short
  thin fibers that stick out from the cell body.
  They receive impulses, or messages, from other
  neurons and send them to the cell body.

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How do We Protect the Neurons?

• Myelin Sheath Many axons, especially the longer
  ones are covered by a white fatty substance
  called myelin.
• This cover not only helps to protect portions
  of the neuron, but it also helps to speed the
  transmission of impulses.
• In order for the nervous system to properly
  function, there must be a space between each
  neuron. This space is called a synapse.
• Synapse The gap that exists between individual
  nerve cells.
• What can happen if the Myelin Sheath is
  destroyed? Multiple Sclerosis (erratic and
  uncontrolled behavior.)

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Diagram of a Neuron
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How do the Neurons Transmit Information?

• Action Potential Neurons transmit messages in
  the form of electrochemical impulses called an
  action potential.

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Information is transmitted in the form of
electrical impulses.
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Continued

• These messages are transmitted by the releasing
  of chemicals called neurotransmitters.
• Neurotransmitters The chemicals released by
  neurons, which determine the rate at which other
  neurons fire.

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And Now for a quick break
What just happened here?
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An in depth look at the Nervous System

• Definition The Nervous System connects our
  entire body and allows communication that
  controls our behavior and bodily functions.
  There are 2 major parts
• 1.) The Central Nervous System (CNS)
• 2.) The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
• - We have already discussed much of the CNS, so
  lets break down the Peripheral Nervous System

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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

• The Peripheral Nervous System is divided into 2
  major parts
• - 1.) The Somatic Nervous System (SNS) This
  is the part of the Peripheral Nervous System that
  controls voluntary movement of the skeletal
  musclesIn other words, how you move.
• - 2.) The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) This
  is the part of the Peripheral Nervous System that
  controls internal biological functionsIn other
  words, your heartbeat, stomach activity, bowels,
  etc

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Diagram of the Nervous System
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The Structure of the Brain
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The Structure of the Brain

• The Human Brain is VERY Complex. It is still
  widely considered to be the most complex
  structure ever discovered or created by man.
• There are approximately 10 billion nerve cells in
  the brain and each one has the potential to
  contact every other one.
• There is however, NO relationship between brain
  size and intelligence.
• What does relate to intelligence are the
  fissures, wrinkles, and folds of the brain. No
  animal has as many of these folds (convolutions)
  as a human except the porpoise.

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The Structure of the Brain

• Oxygen Consumption The brain needs oxygen to
  survive. The brain contributes about 1/50th of
  your body weight yet consumes 25 of your oxygen.
• Deprivation of oxygen to the brain will lead to
  you passing out in 15 seconds and brain damage
  within 4 minutes.

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The Structure of the Brain

• Important There are NO pain receptors in the
  brain. If you have a headache it is usually due
  to dilation of the blood vessels that surround
  the brain.
• In other words, your brain cannot feel pain, but
  the blood vessels and nerve system that surround
  it can.

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The Structure of the Brain

• The Brain Stem Our basic body processes are
  mediated in the brain stem, the portion of the
  brain just above the spinal cord.

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The 3 Brains

• The brain is comprised of three major parts the
  hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain.
• Hindbrain A part of the brain located at the
  rear base of the skull that is involved in the
  basic processes of life.
• The Hindbrain includes the Cerebellum, Medulla,
  and Pons.

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The 3 Brains

• The Cerebellum, which is located behind the
  spinal cord, helps control posture, balance and
  voluntary movements.
• The Medulla regulates vital body functions such
  as breathing , heartbeat, and a variety of
  reflexes. This is why people that are called
  brain dead can still survive
• Medulla? Where have I heard this word before?
  Oh Yeah!
• The Pons, deals with the sensory and motor
  information and regulates sleep and arousal. It
  also functions as a bridge between the Spinal
  Cord and the brain.

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The 3 Brains

• Midbrain is a small part of the brain above the
  Pons. The midbrain contains primitive centers
  for vision and hearing and plays a role in the
  regulation of visual effects.

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The 3 Brains

• Forebrain A part of the brain that covers the
  brains central core.
• Hypothalamus Controls functions such as hunger,
  thirst and sexual behavior.
• Cerebral Cortex This is the center for higher
  mental process. It is what sets humans apart
  from other animals.
• The Cerebral Cortex gives you the ability to
  learn and store complex and abstract information,
  and to project your thinking into the future.
• Your Cerebral Cortex allows you to see, read, and
  understand this sentence.

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What Parts of the brain are being used here?
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The Lobes of the Brain

• The brain is divided into 2 hemispheres (right
  and left). The 2 hemispheres are divided by a
  band of fibers called the corpus callosum.
• The brain also has 4 areas, or lobes. Lobes are
  the different regions that the brain is divided
  into.
• 1.) The Occipital Lobe This is where the
  visual signals are processed. It is located in
  the back of your brain.

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• 2.) The Parietal Lobe This is where
  information from sensors all over the body is
  processed. (Supposedly located on the left side
  of the brain.)
• 3.) The Temporal Lobe This is where your
  hearing, memory, emotion, and speaking functions
  are processed. (Supposedly located on the right
  side of the brain.)
• 4.) The Frontal Lobe Is concerned with
  organization, planning, and creative thinking.
  (I wonder where it is located.)

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Left and Right Hemispheres

• There are many myths about the differences
  between the left and right hemispheres of the
  brain. You may have heard of people being right
  or left brained beforeThis is simply not true.
• In reality, the left and right side merely
  compliment one another.
• Right Left.Left Rightwhaaaaaaaa?

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The Electroencephalograph

• Wow thats a long wordHow about EEG machine.
• What is it?
• It is a machine used to record the electrical
  activity of large portions of the brain.
• Wires are connected to various areas of your
  scalp, allowing the rhythms, or brain waves
  caused by the neurons to be read.

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The Endocrine System

• Why do people run with bulls in Spain? Why
  skydive? Heck, why do we ride roller coasters?
• Many do it for the rush.
• This rush comes from a hormone secreted by the
  endocrine system called adrenaline or
  epinephrine.
• Its basically sending your body into a state of
  emergency!

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3 Cheers for Adrenaline!
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The Endocrine System

• Our body and behavior are controlled not only
  through neural impulses from the brain but also
  through a slower chemical system called the
  endocrine system!
• Isnt that sweet ?

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The Endocrine System

• Endocrine System A chemical communication
  system, using hormones, by which messages are
  sent through the bloodstream.
• Hormones Chemical substances that carry
  messages through the body in blood.
• Hormones can have various effects on your bodies
  behavior. They effect the growth of bodily
  structures such as muscles and bones, so they can
  effect what you can do physically. They also
  effect how much energy you have to perform
  certain actions, attractions you may have, and
  the different moods you may be in.
• In fact, all of the physical differences between
  boys and girls are caused by hormones!
  (testosterone) Jamie Lee Curtis example.

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The Endocrine System

• The Importance of glands.
• The Pituitary gland is the center of control of
  the endocrine system that secretes a large number
  of hormones.
• This gland is located near the midbrain and the
  Hypothalamus, which monitors the amount of
  hormones in the blood and sends messages to
  correct the imbalances.

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The Endocrine System

• So what do these hormones do?
• Well, to start off withHormones regulate
• - Emotional responses (awwww)
• - Motivation (get off your lazy butt)
• - Physical Growth (Could you point me in the
  direction of the gun show?)
• - Metabolism (ahhh, the fat burner!)
• - Oh yeah, almost forgotSexual arousal (Hey
  there)

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Have you bought your tickets to the gun show?
Ron Burgandy says, pay attention in psychology
classand learn how to get guns like these!
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The Endocrine System

• Other glands you should know!
• The Adrenal Gland Only becomes active when a
  person is angry of frightened! The release of
  adrenaline causes the heartbeat and breathing to
  increase. This helps a person to generate extra
  energy!
• The Sex Glands 1.) Testes Produce the male
  hormone testosterone. (low levels are also
  found in women) 2.) Ovaries Produce the female
  hormones estrogen and progesterone. (low
  levels are also found in men)

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The Endocrine System

• Testosterone is important in the physical
  development of males. Testosterone helps to
  decide the sex of a fetus. It is also important
  for the growth of muscles and male sex
  characteristics.
• Estrogen and Progesterone Are important in the
  growth of female sex characteristics. They
  regulate the reproductive cycles of females. The
  levels of these hormones can vary, causing
  premenstrual syndrome (PMS) which could cause
  fatigue, irritability, and depression. (see text
  pg. 172 if needed)

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The Endocrine System
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Heredity and Environment

• How much do genetic factors contribute to our
  behavior?
• How much do environmental factors contribute to
  our behavior?
• Is it possible that a combination of both genetic
  and social factors have helped us to become what
  we are today?

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Heredity and Environment

• What is heredity?
• Heredity Is the genetic transmission of
  characteristics from parents to their offspring.
• For example, do people become good athletes or
  are they born that way? Do people learn to do
  well in school, or are they simply born good at
  it?
• Why do you think the concept of heredity has
  caused so much controversy?
• Change things.

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Heredity and Environment

• The argument over the nature vs. nurture question
  has been going on for centuries!
• So what exactly are these nature and nurture
  terms that we have been talking about?

Nature, mad at Nurture, haha Im so funny!
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Heredity and Environment

• Nature Refers to the characteristics that a
  person inherits in other words, his or her
  biological makeup.
• Nurture Refers to environmental factors, such
  as family, culture, education, and individual
  experiences.
• Sir Francis Galton vs. John
  Watson
• Nature Nurture

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Heredity and Environment

• Genes and Behavior!
• Genes are the basic units of heredity! They are
  reproduced and passed along from parent to child.
  
• All of the effects that genes have on behavior
  occur through their role in building and
  modifying the physical structures of the body.
• These structures must interact with their
  environment to produce behavior.
• Musicians example!

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Heredity and Environment

• Twin Studies
• One of the best ways to find out whether or not a
  trait is inherited is to study twins.
• Identical Twins Twins who come from one
  fertilized egg in other words, twins having the
  same heredity.
• Fraternal Twins Twins who come from 2 different
  eggs fertilized by 2 different sperm.
• How can studying twins help us to understand
  Nature vs. Nurture?

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Can Studying Twins help to Explain Nature vs.
Nurture?
Is this behavior a result of heredity or of
societal pressures?
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Heredity and Environment

• Twins that grow up in the same house share the
  same general environment, but identical twins
  share the same genes.
• Soooooif identical twins who grow up together
  prove to be more alike on a specific trait than
  fraternal twins do, it probably means that genes
  are important for that trait!

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Nature vs. Nurture - Twins