Download Biological Level of Analysis (2)

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What are nerve cells called?
What are the main parts of a nerve cell
(neuron) IN ORDER?
TRUE OR FALSE: the axon terminals of one
neuron touch the dendrites of the next
neuron when transmitting a message/signal
What are the 4 lobes of the brain?
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How many hemispheres are there in the
brain?
What is the “little brain” really called?
What is the bundle of fibers called that
connects the 2 hemispheres?
1. What does it mean for
something to be “innate”?
2. Does evolution play a
role in behavior?
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Learning Intention: Outline the 3 principles
of the Biological Level of Analysis (LoA)
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Success Criteria: Students will demonstrate
mastery of 3 principles and supporting
research on upcoming evidence
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WHAT IS THE NATURE VS. NURTURE
DEBATE?
 Nature: human behavior is the result of biological
factors
 Nurture: human behavior is the result of
environmental factors
1. Behavior can be innate because it is
genetically based
 2. Animal research can provide insight
into human behavior.
 3. There are biological correlates of
behavior
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PRINCIPLE #1
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Behavior can be innate because it is
genetically based
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TWIN STUDIES
 Why study twins?
 What are Monozygotic twins?
▪ two individuals developed from one fertilized oocyte (immature
egg cell); they have identical genomes.
 Dizygotic twins?
▪ Twins developed from two separate oocytes fertilized at the
same time.
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Diathesis-Stress Model
 Genetic predisposition (diathesis) to develop a disorder
that MAY OR MAY NOT be brought out by the
environment (stress)
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Twins separated at birth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yTCS
hemS_0&feature=related
Researcher’s name
Name of the Research
A
This is the Aim of the research study
P
This is the Procedure of the study
F
This is the Findings of the study
C
This is the Conclusion of the study
E
Evaluation of the study
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PRINCIPLE #2
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Animal research can provide insight into
human behavior.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMJJpbR
x_O8&list=PLQWwMZATghnqDldldmmGaf_
XfWO-RLaT9&index=29
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Why study animals?
What do we use them to study?
What ethical problems can we face by
studying animals?
For more info, visit…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/animals/using/exp
eriments_1.shtml
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Animal experiments are widely used to
develop new medicines and to test the safety
of other products
Many experiments cause pain to the animals
or reduce the quality of life in other ways
 What is ablation?
 What is lesioning?
 What do these two methods tell us?
PRO-ANIMAL TESTING
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Experimenting on animals
is acceptable if (and only
if):
ANTI-ANIMAL TESTING
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Experimenting on animals
is always unacceptable
because:
 Suffering is minimized in all
 It causes suffering to animals
experiments
 Human benefits are gained
which could not be obtained
by using other methods
 The benefits to human beings
are not proven
 Any benefits to human beings
that animal testing does not
provide could be produced in
other ways
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The Hungry Rat
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDgV2vixSo
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Principle #3
 Human behavior is, to some extent, genetically
based.
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PRINCIPLE #3
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There are biological correlations of
behavior
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Implies that it should be possible to find a link
between a specific biological factor (ex:
hormone or neurotransmitter) and a specific
behavior
 THIS IS THE AIM OF RESEARCHERS IN THIS LOA
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EX: Acetylcholine
 Too much: Parkinson’s
 Not enough: Alzheimer’s
Principle #3
Examples of
neurotransmitters &
hormones that are in
charge of really
important things:
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Acetylcholine
Dopamine
Serotonin
Growth Hormone
Leptin
Ghrelin
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Is lack of sleep making me fat?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uxezLHDECUo
Neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine-acts on both PNS and CNS as a
neuormodulator, it activates muscles on PNS/ CNS it
plays role in attention & arousal.
• Dopamine-helps control the brains reward and
pleasure center.
• Serotonin-Zen master of neurotransmitters. Low
levels = anxiousness, irritability, depression, trouble
sleeping. Antidepressants release serotonin.
• Growth Hormone-stimulates cell production
• Leptin-hormone made by fat cells that regulate the
amount of fat stored in the body
• Ghrelin-hunger hormone
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Minnesota Twin Study
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J6
AL9Ztuvk
Assignment
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You are to identify a case that relates to one
of the 3 principles of biological level of
analysis. Create an index card on the case to
guide you in explaining it to the class.
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Due next class