Chapter 1: Biology and Behaviour Flashcards
Who is Franz Gall, and what was his contribution?
Franz Gall had one of the earliest theories that behavior, intellect, and even personality might be linked to brain anatomy.
Franz gall developed the doctrine of phrenology. the basic idea of phrenology was that if a particular trait was well-developed, then the part of brain responsible for that trait would expand.
Who was Pierre Flourens, and what was his contribution?
Pierre Flourens was the first person to study the functions of the major parts of the brain.
he did this by extirpation, aka ablation on rabbits an pigeons. in extirpation, various parts of the brain are surgically removed, and the behavioural consequences observed.
Who is William James, and what was his contribution?
Known as the father of American psychology.
studied how the mind afatps to the environment. his views became the foundation for the system functionalism; which studies how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environment.
Who is John Dewey, and what was his contribution?
Dewey is another important name in functionalism due to his 1986 article which is seen as its inception.
Dewey believes that psychology should focus on the organism as a whole as it funcitoned to adapt to its environment.
Who is Paul Broca, and what was his contribution?
Around 1860, Broca contributed to the knowledge of physiology by examining the behavioural deficit of people with brain damage.
He was the first person to demonstrate that specific function impairments could be linked with specific brain lesions.
Who is Hermann von Helmholtz, and what was his contribution?
Helmholtz was the first to measure the speed of a nerve impulse. He also related the measured speed of such impulses to reaction time, providing an important early link b/w behaviour and underlying nervous system activity.
he is credited with the transition of psychology out of the realm of philosophy and into the realm of quantifiable natural science.
Who is Sir Charles Sherrington?
He was the first to have inferred the existence of synapses.
What is the meninges?
The brain is covered with a thick three-layered sheath of connective tissues collectively called the meninges
What are the three layers of meninges?
- Dura matter that is connected directly to the skull
- Arachnoid matter that is the middle web-like structure
- Pia matter that is the inner layer connected directly to the brain
What is the cerebrospinal fluid, and what is it’s purpose?
The cerebrospinal fluid is an aqueous solution that nourishes the brain and spinal cord and provides a protective cushion.
What are the 3 basic parts of the human brain?
hind brain, mid brain, and fore brain
What is the meaningful connection between brain location and functionality between the hind and mid brain?
The hind and mid brain are located at the base of the brain. in evolutionary terms, the hind brain ad mid brain were structures that developed earlier.
together the form the brain stem which is the most primitive region of the brain.
What is the limbic system?
a group of neural structures primarily associated with emotion and memory.
What is the most recent evolutionary advancement of the human brain, and what is it’s purpose?
the most recent evolutionary advancement of the human brain is the cerebral cortex, and it is responsible for everything from language processing to problem solving, and from impulse control to long-term planning.
In prenatal life the brain develops from the?
Neural tube
Where is the hindbrain (rhombencephalon) located, and what does the hindbrain control?
located where the brain mets the spinal cord.
Controls balance, motor co-ordination, breathing, digestion, and general arousal processes such as sleeping and waking.
What happens to the hindbrain during embryonic development?
The rhombencephalon divides into the myelencephalon which becomes the medulla oblongata, and the metencephalon, which becomes the pons and cerebellum.
What is the function of the midbrain (mesencephalon)? Also what is the midbrain associated with?
Receive sensory and motor information from the rest of the body.
Associated with involuntary reflex responses associated by visual o auditory stimuli.
There are several important nuclei in the mid brain, two of them are collectively called what?
what are their functions?
two of them are collectively called the colliculi.
the superior colliculus receives visual sensory input.
the inferior colliculus receives sensory information fro the auditory system, and also has a role I reflexive reactions to sudden loud noises.
What is the forebrain (prosencephalon) associated with?
the forebrain is associated with complex perceptual, cognitive and behavioural processes. Associated with emotion and memory.
What happens to the prosencephalon during prenatal development?
during prenatal development, the prosencephalon divides to form the telencephalon (which forms the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and limbic system),
and the diencephalon (which forms the thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland and pineal gland).
Of the three sections of the brain, what has the greatest influences of on human behaviour?
forebrain (prosencephalon)
What is neuropsychology?
Neuropsychology refers to the study of functions and behaviours associated with specific regions of the brain.
What is cortical mapping?
Electrically stimulating the brain and recording consequent behaviour. Ie: if the stimulated neuron is in the motor cortex, the stimulation can lead to specific muscle movement.
