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Chapter 1
Introduction
Understanding human consciousness
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Mind-body question
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Dualism – the belief that the
body is physical but the
mind (soul) is not
Monism – the belief that the
world consists only of
matter and energy and that
the mind is a phenomenon
produced by the workings
of the nervous system
Understanding human consciousness
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Blindsight
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Def: the ability of a person who cannot see objects in his or her
blind field to accurately reach fro them while remaining
unconscious of perceiving them
Caused by damage to the “mammalian” visual system of the brain
Suggests the common belief that perceptions must enter
consciousness in order to affect our behavior is incorrect
Understanding human consciousness
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Split brains
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Corpus callosum – the largest commissure of the brain,
interconnecting the areas of neocortex on each side of the brain
CC connects the 2 cerebral hemispheres (L and R)
Epilepsy – split-brain operation
Can detect olfactory stimuli on ipsilateral (same) side, but not on
contralateral (opposite) side
If split-brain patient is given olfactory stimulus (eg flower odor) to
only right nostril, they will say they smell nothing (b/c right side
cannot pass info onto left side which controls speech).
However, even though they are not conscious of smelling it, they
can then choose the correct object to stand for the stimulus (eg
rose)
Understanding human consciousness
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Unilateral neglect
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Def: a syndrome in which people ignore objects located toward
their left and the left side of objects located anywhere
Caused by damage to the right parietal lobe
The Nature of Physiological Psychology
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The Goals of Research
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Generalization – a type of scientific explanation; a general
conclusion based on many observations of similar phenomena
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e.g. man has fear of dogs because he was attacked as a child
Reduction - a type of scientific explanation; a phenomenon is
described in terms of the more elementary processes that underlie
it
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e.g. the women feels hungry because her stomach is producing high
levels of ghrelin
The Nature of Physiological Psychology
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Biological Roots of Physio Psych
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Hippocrates On the Sacred Disease
Descartes – organisms mere mechanical devices responding to
env’t
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Reflex – an automatic, stereotyped movement that is produced as the
direct result of a stimulus
Model – a mathematical or physical analogy for a physiological process
Müller
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Learn about nervous system only by experimentation
Doctrine of specific nerve energies – because all nerve fibers carry the
same message, sensory info must be specified by the particular nerve
fibers that are active
Experimental ablation – the function of a part of the brain is inferred by
observing the behaviors an animal can no longer perform afterwards
The Nature of Physiological Psychology
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Broca
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Stroke in left side of brain (later named “Broca’s area”) left patient
with inability to speak
Helmholtz
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Measured speed of electronic conduction by nerves; saw that more
than just a simple message being transmitted
Natural Selection and Evolution
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Darwin
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All of an organism’s characteristics serve a functional purpose
Functionalism – the principle that the best way to understand a
biological phenomenon is to try to understand its useful functions
for the organism
Natural selection – the process by which inherited traits that confer
a selective advantage become more prevalent in a population
Mutation – change in the genetic info that can be passed on to
an organism’s offspring; provides genetic variability
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May also provide a selective advantage
Evolution of the Human Species
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Evolution – a gradual change in the structure and physiology of
plant and animal species – generally producing more complex
organisms – as a result of natural selection
Evolution of the Human Species
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Evolution of Large Brains
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Humans evolved into beings capable of many complex behaviors
and cognitions
Requires a larger brain
Neoteny – a slowing of the process of maturation, allowing more
time for growth
Ethical Issues in Research with Animals
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Humane and Worthwhile
Compare numbers of animals used in research vs those used for
food/hunting/unwanted pets/clothing etc.
Researchers care about their animals!
Careers in Neuroscience
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Physiological psychologist – a scientist who studies the
physiology of behavior, primarily by performing physiological
and behavioral experiments with lab animals
Professor at University (teaching and running a research lab)
Private or public research institutions
Society for Neuroscience – www.sfn.org
HW for next class
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Read Chapter 2: Structure and Function of Cells of the Nervous
System
Suggest reviewing today’s lecture