Outline for today A bit about me Go over syllabus Introduction to the course….

PSY 312

Brain and Behavior - PSY 312

Other terms: psychobiologybiopsychology behavioral neurosciencephysiological psychology

Psychopharmacology◦ studies drugs and behavior

Psychoneuroendocrinology◦ studies hormones and behavior

Psychoneuroimmunology◦ studies immune system and environment and

behavior Cognitive Neuroscience

◦ studies looking at how brain works

Sub Areas within Behavioral Neuroscience

Ancient Egyptians◦ preserved intestines, livers and other internal

organs of their leaders Assyrians (ancient tribes of Israel)

◦ liver Hippocrates

◦ brain

Brief History

mind vs brain◦ Descarte – french philosopher

physical matter vs soul body vs soul brain vs soul

Why do psychologists need to study biology and the brain?

What is your definition of mind?

Two views (extreme perhaps) Dualism - mind and body

(brain) are separate

Two views (extreme perhaps) Dualism - mind and body (brain)

are separate

Monism - mind and body (brain) are same; reality consists of unified whole

mind is the working of brain and nervous system (neurons firing)

Symptoms………. Trouble sleeping

loss of appetite

feels sad and cries a lot

Symptoms………. Blinding headache

lapses of consciousness

seizures or epilepsy

Symptoms………. Blinding headache

lapses of consciousness

seizures or epilepsy

Trouble sleeping

loss of appetite

feels sad and cries a lot

Psychological perspectives on violent or unusual behavior

Jeffrey Dahmer

Clinical Personality Social Psychology

Perspectives to Explain behavior

Questions a behavioral neuroscientist might ask?

Phineas Gage -

Some Case Studies

Charles Whitman

1966- University of Texas

- killed 14 people and injured dozens more in a little over 90 min

Explanations:

physiological explanations

developmental or ontogenetic emergence of a behavior

evolutionary or functional explanations

Some ways to consider things from a behavioral neuroscience perspective

Mysteries of the Human Brain

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/38721185#42912922