Phase 1

PHASE 1 Definitions/Concepts

Neural communication:

Neurons communicate chemically. Neurons fire electric impulse down an axon. These axons are separated by a synaptic gap. When it crosses the gap it sends the impulses to the next axon. This continues and the impulse or “messages” are sent.

The impact of neurotransmitters:

Neurotransmitters cross the synaptic gap and bind the receptor sites on the receiving neurons. When there is excess neurotransmitters they are reabsorbed which is know as reuptake. Neurotransmitters can also effect our thinking and behavior. For example, Acetylcholine acts as the messenger during a function between a motor neuron and a skeletal neuron. If the pathway of acetylcholine was blocked the contraction of our muscles would be blocked.

impact of drugs/chemicals on n. communication

Drugs and chemicals both block reuptake. Depending on what drug or chemical it can increase or decrease neurons resting rate. They also create opiates which makes you “feel good”. Having srugs or chemcials create opiates for to long can stop your brain from creating its own.

nervous system (parts, functions, impact):

The nervous system is the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication system. This consists of all te nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems. The central nervous system is linked to the sensory receptors in the body by the peripheral nervous system. The nervous system gets its information through the sensory neurons, the interneuorns, and the motor neurons. Sensory neurons send the information from the organs and tissues in the body to the brain and spinal cord. Interneurons allow the sensory neurons to do their job. The information is then sent to the tissues using the motor neurons. The interneurons are the most complex.

perpherial nervous system (parts, functions, impact):

The peripheral nervous system contains the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body.  There are two parts to this system. They are somatic and autonomic. The somatic nervous system is what controls the functions of the skeletal muscles. The autonomic system controls the functions of the glands and muscles in our organs. There are two parts that make up the autonomic system. The sympathetic system and the and the parasympathetic system. The sympathetic system is what allows us to be alert and ready to defend ourselves if necessary. The parasympathetic system is what calms us down after we become alert or overactive.


the central nervous system(parts, functions impact):

The central nervous system is made up of two parts, the brain and the spinal cord. The spinal cord allows information to travel by connecting the peripheral nervous system and the brain. This connection is what gives us the ability to react to a situation, such as pulling your hand away if it touches something hot.

endocrine system:

The endocrine system is the chemical slow communication system in the body. It contains the set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones act as chemical messengers in the body. Hormones can effect our interests in different things. The endocrine system also has different glands such as the adrenal glands and pituiary glands. The adrenal glands allow us to realize when were in danger or when a moment requires increased alertness. The pituitary glands are the most effective and they effect growth.

limbic system:

The limbic system is a system made up of neural structures that resides at the border of the brain stem and cerebra; hemisipheres. Th elimibi system can effecet emotions such as fear and aggression and can cause the need or drives forthings such as food and sex. The limbic system also allows us to process memory through the hippocampus. The amygdala which reside in the limbic system are what cause aggression and fear. Another part of the limbic system is the hypothalamus. This part of the system can effect the need for body maintenance such as hunger or thirst. This system also monitors blood chemistry and it listens to orders that are given by the brain.

methods of researching the brain (ex. Clinical research):

There are many ways to research the brain. There is basic and apllied research and there is also case studies, expierments, and naturalistic observations. Basic reasearch is a knowledge base for a topic. It gathers all the basic knowledge need to go into more indepth study. Applied research is when you study the brain hands on. During applied reaseach you solve moer practical problems. Case studies, expierments, and naturalistic observations are all very usuful when expiermenting on the brain. Each observes the brain in a different way. During a case study you oberve an individual and record his actions, moods, and behoviors. When preforimg an expierment you can determind cause and effect by changing you indepent and dependent varibales. Finally, in naturalistic observation you observe a person without any outside involvment.

parts of the brain:

The parts of the brain include thefrontal lobe, parital lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe. Certain parts are required to perform certain functions. The frontal lobe is involved in helping us speak and also in making decisions and judgements. The parital lobe does the same functions as the sensory cortex because it holds the sensory cortex. The occipital lobe helps us to see by getting the visual information from visual fields. The temporal lobes help us to ear by getting auditory information from the ears.

plasticity:

Placity is the brain’s capacity for modification as evident in brain recognition following damage and in experiments on the effects of experience on the brain development. PLAsticity of the brain allowed scientists to realize that while neuroins that are severed do no usually recover, neural tissue can respond to damage.

the divided brain (functions of each side):

The two sides of the brain both prefrom different functions. The left side of the brain is used for verbal functions such as speaking, and the right side is used for visual functions such as simply being able to see.

nature vs. nurture

The controversy between whether genes or experience make our psychological trait and behavior. Nature vs. Nurture is an ongoing conflict that has evolved in psycholgy. Somepeople believe that we are the way our parents are because of our genes and we cant do anything about it. others believe that the experiences we have and the events we witness shape the kind of person we are.

genes/dna

Genes are the biochemical units of heredity. They make up chromosomes wich is a segment of DNA. DNA is capable of synthesizing a protein. A protein is a complex molecule that contains genetic information that create chromosomes.

evolutionary psychology:

Evoltionary psychology is the study of the evolution of the mind. People study how the brain develops and grows over time. They get their information by the principal of natural selection.

natural selection:

This is the principal that states traits that will lead to the success in reproduction and survival will be passed on to the next generation.

sexuality/gender:

In psychology, both social and biological characteristics define male and female. Males and females are naturally succeptible to different things whether it be physical or emotional.

behavior genetics:

The study of how ones behavior is effected by the environment and the people and events they witness.

twins(importance of studies):

This allows scientists to control home environment while varying heredity because twins (identical) are ready made subjects for this (clones). Twins help in the study of many different things and they helped scientists realize that your environment can have an efect on your iq.

Adoption Studies:

Adoption studies allow scientists to experiement and see whther the children grow up to be like their biological parents or whther they adapt the traits of their adoptive parents. This can also approach the nature vs. nurture issue because really it is a question of genetic influence and environmental influence.

temperament/heritability:

A person’s temperament can be considered the type of person they are or how they react to a situation. This relates to heritability because if genes effect our behavior then we could grow up to have a temoerament identical to our parents or someone else in our family.

genes and the environment:

Genes and the environment are related to each other because may people believe that the way you act and behave is influenced by the environment that you are brought up in. What you witness as a child or the way you see someone act can effect the way you think or how you believe you’re supposed to act.

molecular genetics:

This is a field of biology that studies the science part of genes. The molecular structure and make up of genes can help scientists study why genes get passed on or even have an effect on offspring throughout generations.

parental influence/interference:

The influence of parents in their children’s lives is big but it may not be as big as they think. many parents believe that what they teach their children at home will be how they act their whole life and for some that is the case but for others its not. Children are around so many people when they’re young and as they grow up. they see so many different things and can be influenced by so many different things. A they get older and are home less and less they could start to forget or just choose not to listen to their parents.

peer influence (group influence):  

Peers tend to have a strong influenced on kids. sometimes even stronger than the influence of the parents. A child is more likely to listen to a group of his friends than to listen to a single parent.

culture:

Culture is the behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions that are shared by a large group of people. These things are then transmitted to the next generation. Therefore, culture last forever, but it may change from one generation to the next.

variations over time:

Cultures change rapidly over time. It changes as people pass on their ideas to others, also known as meme. As meme occurs changes happen. These changes can be either positive or negative.

the nature and nurture of gender:

Nature and nurture both play a big role when talking about gender. Nature is the science side of gender. Both female and males contain genes and hormones. The chromosomes that make up genes are slightly different in males and females. This cause us to have different body parts. Our hormones are also different. They cause us to react differently and have different behaviors. Nature discusses the different gender roles in the world. Women are usually considered the one to stay at home and take care of the children, cleaning, and cooking. Men usually do all the labor and hard work such as fixing broken things, working, and mowing the grass. Men believe that it is the women's job to care for them and that they are superior to them. This only due to history and the way we have been brought up. These typical stereotypes however, have been changing a little each generation. The barrier between men and women are fading and soon we will all be seen as equal.

Questions:

How does neuroscience help or hinder the credibility of psychology as a science?

Neuroscience helps the credibility of psychology as a science in many ways. Neuroscience is the science part of psychology. It involves all the chemical and factual information about the brain and body. This information will never change. From neuroscience people can understand how the brain receives information and why we do the things we do. Everything that we do, the brain sees as biological. For these reasons, neuroscience helps the credibility of psychology as a science.

How do the brain and body work together to explain how humans think, feel and act?

The body and the brain are connected in many ways. The brain sends signals to the body to tell it what to do. Therefore in a way the brain effects most of what the body does and feels.

What is the difference between cognitive psychology and neuroscience?

Cognitive psychology explains how people process, store, and learn information. It only involves the brain and how it preforms all these actions. Neuroscience is the study of the brain and body together. It examines how they work and function together as one. The most common thing studied in neuroscience is pain.

How do gender roles play a role in how we study human beings and how they think?

Men and women have different chromosomes and hormones which  primarily effects the way they think . Hormones can effect the way a person feels and thinks. For, example a man may not be as sensitive to something as a woman because they have different hormones.

How does culture play a role in how people behave?

Culture can effect many things for many people. Some cultures are more strict than others so some may be more harshly punished for something than someone else. Some cultures are more religious or more conscious about things so some people may be restricted from doing some things that other people are allowed to do.


How do studies of twins help us to understand the genetics behind psychology?

    The study of twins whether identical or fraternal helps in the study of the involvement of genetics in psychology. Identical twins have shown a tendency to do better in studies when they are near each other rather than when they are apart.This helps in the study of genetics because i sows that the brains of the identical twins are obviously connected in some way if their thinking is influenced by the presence of one  another.
Explain how evolution plays a role in Psychology.

How does technology play a role in helping us to understand the brain and its functions better?

Scientists today can do a lot more for the field of psychology all because of technology. technology has enhanced many studies by allowing more experiments and tests to be done. Some things that may not have been observable before became observable with better technology.

Do you believe that natural selection is a plausible theory when it comes to how humans have
developed over time?

Natural selection is a good theory because it explains what genes are inherited. The genes that contribute to reproduction and survival will be inherited. this shows how why and how we evolved into the humans we are today.

Consider the term “Social Darwinism” used often during the imperial age of American history.
Do you believe that the term has credibility when it comes to Psychology?

I dont believe this term is relevant when it comes to psychology becuase of it being such an outdated term. i think it is unethical to apply it to a field of study that has evolved so much. Also, social darwinism stated that higher classes would be sucessful. I dont agree with this because we all have the same brain and oppurtunity to succeed. It doesnt matter what social class you are in.

Culture plays a huge role in how human beings behave but it also plays a role in how we perceive others. How does the culture we were brought up in influence the way that we perceive others around the world?

As americans we believe that someone that does something different because of their culture may seem wierd or unnatrual to us because of the way we were brought up. For example women who are inferior to men, girls that cannot show their hair, or not beging allowed to wear make all seems very strange to me. However, this is common in everyday life for some cultures.



Based on what you know about psychology and biology, do you believe that men and women can be perfectly equal in our society? Explain your response.

I dont think it would be possible for men and women to be equal because there are many different things in our body that are different and could not be the same between genders.

Consider Wilson High School’s social environment. How often does peer pressure play a role in the decisions that students make here? Provide an example to prove your point.

Peer pressure has a big influence in the decisions students make because students are highly influenced by what their friends think and what they will be seen as through the eyes of their peers. For example, a student would be much more likely to attend a football game because a group of students asked them to go than if their parents asked them to go.

The current foreign language program at Wilson starts in 6th grade. Considering what you know about brain development, is that a good age to start studying a foreign language or is it not necessarily the best age to start? Explain using at least two examples.

I think that students should be started learnign a language as young as possible because the brain can retain things better at a younger age. For example, children that begin learning spanish at the age of two can be fluent by the time they’re sixteen because their mind can retain the language better. Also, students that learn a language in junior high will most likely forget it by the time they get to college.