Download Structure Description Major Functions Brainstem Stemlike portion of

PSYC1020 Neuro and Pysc Notes
Structure
Brainstem
Cerebellum
Cerebral cortex
Cerebral lobes
Description
Stemlike portion of the
brain, continuous
with diencephalon
above and spinal cord
below. Composed of
midbrain, pons,
medulla oblangata.
Major Functions
Relays messages
between spinal cord and
brain, from
brainstem cranial nerves
to cerebrum. Helps
control heart rate,
breathing rate, blood
pressure. Involved with
hearing, taste,
other senses.
Second largest part of
Process center involved
the brain. Located
with coordination of
behind pons, in posterior muscular
section of cranial
movements, balance,
cavity. Composed of
precision, timing, body
cerebral cortex, two
positions.
lateral lobes, central
Processes sensory
flocculonodular lobes,
information used by
medial vermis, some
motor systems.
deep nuclei.
Outer layer of cerebrum. Involved with most
Composed of gray
conscious activities for
matter and arranged in
living. (See major
raised ridges (gyri),
functions of cerebral
grooves (sulci),
lobes.)
depressions (fissures).
Major divisions of
1. Frontal lobe involved
cerebrum, consisting of with motor control of
frontal, parietal,
voluntary
temporal, occipital
moveme nts, control of
lobes
emotional expressions
(named for bones under and moral
which they lie),
behavior.
insula. Also include
2. Parietal lobe involved
limbic lobe.
with general senses,
taste.
3. Temporal lobe
involved with hearing,
Cerebrum
Corpus callosum
Hypothalamus
equilibrium,
emotion, memory.
4. Occipital lobe
organized for vision and
associated forms
of expression. Insula
may be involved with
gastrointestinal
and other visceral
activities.
5. Limbic lobe (along
with the limbic system)
is involved
with emotionss,
behavioral expressions,
recent memory,
smell.
Largest part of brain.
Controls voluntary
Divided into left and
movements, coordinates
right hemispheres by
mental activity.
longitudinal fissure
Center for all conscious
and divided into cerebral living.
lobes. Also
contains cerebral cortex
(gray matter),
white matter,
basal ganglia,
diencephalon
Bridge of nerve fibers
Connects cerebral
that connects one
hemispheres, relaying
cerebral hemisphere
sensory information
with the other.
between them. Allows
left and right
hemispheres to share
information, helps to
unify attention.
Small mass below the
Highest integrating
thalamus; forms floor
center for autonomic
and part of lateral walls nervous system.
of third ventricle.
Controls most of
Midbrain
Pons
Reticular formation
Thalamus
Located at upper end of
brainstem.
Connects pons, and
cerebellum with
cerebrum. Site of
emergence of cranial
nerves 3,4
Short, bridgelike
structure composed of
mainly of fibers that
connect midbrain and
medulla, cerebellar
hemispheres, and
cerebellum and
cerbrum. Lies anterior to
cerebellum and between
midbrain and
medulla. Site of
emergence of cranial
nerve.
Complex network of
nerve cells organized
into ascending (sensory)
and descending
(motor) pathways.
Located throughout core
of entire brainstem.
Composed of two
endocrine system
through its relationship
with
the pituitary gland.
Regulates body
temperature, water
balance,
sleep-wake patterns,
food intake, behavioral
responses
associated with emotion
Involved with visual
reflexes, movement of
eyes, focusing of
lens, dilation of pupils
Controls certain
respiratory functions.
Serves as relay station
from medulla to higher
structures in brain.
Specific functions for
different neurons,
including involvement
with respiratory and
cardiovascular centers,
regulation of
brain’s level of
awareness.
Intermediate relay
separate bilateral
masses
of gray matter. Located
in center of
cerebrum.
structure and processing
center for all
sensory information
(except smell) going to
cerebrum.
The Scientific Attitude
 Scientific approach that is skeptical and open-minded
 To shift away from illusions to reality, one must use Smart thinking or critical thinking:
thinking that does not blindly accept things, but approaches with skepticism and examines
the evidence carefully; Ask how did they know, on guts and instinct? Are the evidence
biased?
 However, must remember to have humility as too extreme would be stubbornness
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The Limits of Intuition and Common Sense
Intuition often ends up nowhere
Tend to use a lot hindsight bias: tendency to believe that one would have known it after
the results are shown;
Seems like common sense; The answer was right there and look how obvious it was
Experience it usually when looking back on history; eg. Glen Clark and the fast ferries
Humans tend to be overconfident, think we know more than we actually do (probably
result of self-serving bias)
Hindsight causes us to be overconfident as we believe we would have picked the answer
when the results are in front of us
The Scientific Method
Scientific theory: explanation using set of principles to organise/predict observations
No matter how good theory sounds, must put it to test
Must imply testable prediction = hypothesis
Beware of bias when testing
Good experiment can be replicated: the experiment can be repeated and would yield
constant results; done with a different group of people or by a different person ending
with constant results
 Theory useful if:
1. effectively organises range of observations
2. implies clear predictions
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Case study: research method where one person is studied in depth to find universal
principles (things that apply to all)
Drawback is that the individual being studied could be atypical, results not universally
contained
Survey: research method to get the self-reported attitudes/behaviours of people
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Looks at cases less depth and wording of question affects the response given
(framing)Tend to hang around group similar to us so using them as study is wrong
False consensus effect: tendency to overestimate other’s agreement with us; eg.
Vegetarians believe larger amount of pop. is vegetarian than meat-eaters
Population: all the cases in the group being studied
To make a good sample, use random sampling: sample that gives each case a good chance
of being studied to ensure results within range
Naturalistic observation: observing and recording behaviour in natural settings with any
control on situation
Like case study & survey, doesn’t explain behaviour
When finding a trait that accompanies another, not resulting effect, but correlation: the
way 2 factors vary together and how well one predicts the other
Positive correlation: direct relationship where factors increase or decrease together
Negative correlation: inverse relationship where one factor goes up while one goes down
Does not explain cause, simply show relationship between factors
Illusory correlation: perceiving correlation when none exist; Notice random coincidences
as not random, rather as correlated
Experiment
To isolate cause & effect, conduct experiments
Experimental condition: condition that exposes subjects to treatment
Control condition: condition that serves as a comparison to see effects of treatment on
experimental condition subjects
Use random assignment: assigning subjects to experimental/control groups randomly to
ensure no bias
Independent variable: experimental factor being manipulated and studied (by itself, alone,
no need to depend on something) * x-axis
Dependent variable: experimental factor that depends on independent variable and
changes in response to it * y- axis
Placebo: an inert substance/condition that maybe administered instead of a presumed
active agent
Double-blind procedure: procedure in which the experimenter and the subject noth don't
know which treatment is given
Franz Gall developed the false theory called Phrenology – where bumps on the head
dictate personality and intelligence. But the theory did direct our attention to brain region
and function.
Psychologists that study these connections between biology and behavior are called
Biological Psychologists.
Neural Communication
 Our Neural System is basically made up of nerve cells or neurons. Each neuron is
composed of Dendrites ~ message receiving fibers and Axons ~ message sending fibers
which are insulated by the Myelin Sheath ~ fatty cells that help \speed up impulses.
 Impulses or Action Potential is a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon as it
becomes Depolarized due to the movement of positively charged ions entering the axon.