SAMPLE Introduction to Psychology

‭Chapter 3:‬ ‭Biological Influences on Behavior‬

‭Learning Objectives‬

‭After completing this chapter, you should be able to:‬

‭●‬ ‭Describe‬‭the‬‭biological‬‭bases‬‭of‬‭behavior‬‭by‬‭discussing‬‭the‬‭impact‬‭of‬‭genetic‬‭influences‬‭on‬ ‭behavior‬ ‭●‬ ‭Describe‬ ‭the‬ ‭impact‬ ‭of‬ ‭evolution‬ ‭on‬ ‭behavior,‬ ‭utilizing‬ ‭five‬ ‭evolution‬ ‭theories‬ ‭and‬ ‭their‬ ‭impact on behavior‬ ‭●‬ ‭Discuss environmental influences on behavior‬ ‭●‬ ‭Describe the influence of hormones on behavior‬ ‭●‬ ‭Describe the hierarchical brain structures and behavioral functions‬ ‭A. Development of Brain and Nervous System‬ ‭The Background‬ ‭In‬ ‭the‬ ‭1800s,‬ ‭German‬ ‭scientist‬ ‭Ernst‬ ‭Weber‬ ‭began‬ ‭studies‬ ‭attempting‬ ‭to‬ ‭understand‬ ‭the‬ ‭sense‬ ‭of‬ ‭touch.‬ ‭Through‬ ‭his‬ ‭studies,‬ ‭he‬ ‭learned‬ ‭that‬ ‭various‬ ‭body‬ ‭parts‬ ‭are‬ ‭more‬ ‭sensitive‬ ‭than‬ ‭others‬ ‭which‬ ‭opened‬ ‭the‬ ‭pathway‬ ‭for‬ ‭research‬ ‭on‬ ‭the‬ ‭nervous‬ ‭system.‬‭Simple‬‭tissue‬‭first‬‭develops‬‭into‬‭a‬‭tube‬‭that‬ ‭runs‬ ‭from‬ ‭the‬ ‭skull‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭tail‬ ‭bone‬ ‭forming‬ ‭the‬ ‭spinal‬ ‭cord‬ ‭and‬ ‭brain.‬ ‭An‬ ‭embryo‬ ‭features‬ ‭a‬ ‭distinct‬ ‭spinal cord and‬ ‭hindbrain‬ ‭,‬ ‭midbrain‬ ‭, and‬ ‭forebrain‬ ‭after the first 25 days of development.‬ ‭The‬ ‭nervous‬ ‭system‬ ‭comprises‬ ‭all‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭body’s‬ ‭nerve‬ ‭cells‬‭and‬‭is‬‭the‬‭body’s‬‭communication‬‭system.‬ ‭The‬‭nervous‬‭system‬‭is‬‭separated‬‭into‬‭the‬ ‭Peripheral‬‭Nervous‬‭System‬ ‭and‬‭the‬ ‭Central‬‭Nervous‬‭System‬ ‭(CNS).‬ ‭Nervous System‬ ‭Central‬ ‭Nervous‬ ‭System:‬ ‭The‬ ‭brain‬ ‭and‬ ‭spinal‬ ‭cord‬ ‭make‬ ‭up‬ ‭the‬ ‭CNS.‬‭The‬‭skull‬‭and‬‭spine‬‭shield‬‭this‬ ‭portion‬‭of‬‭the‬‭nervous‬‭system.‬‭Electrical‬‭impulses‬‭transmitted‬‭through‬‭neurons‬‭enable‬‭communication,‬ ‭and the‬ ‭neurons‬ ‭connect via‬ ‭synapses‬ ‭.‬

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