Ch 2 Role of Biology in Psychology

The most interesting topic for me was the study on the Monozygotic twins and how they were raised in a different environment, but still had so much in common. I also enjoyed learning about the male and female brains. Psychology is about studying human behavior, which is controlled by out brain. Brain is the control center of our body, they control not only our behavior, but also our personality, speech, our emotions and much more. One of the most surprising thing that I learned was about the Michelle Mack how she was missing half of her brain and still was able to function properly. The psychological term the I used was Monozygotic.

What interested me the most from this reading is how adaptable the brain is. The example the book gave about brain plasticity was fascinating; Michelle Mack did not have most of her left hemisphere, yet she was decently functional when it came to tasks the left hemisphere is responsible for! Psychology mainly deals with our behavior and motivation; the brain is responsible for causing emotions, movements, reactions, and many more things that we act upon. Our brains cause our behavior. By studying brain activity and function, we are able to understand how certain things work, such as where motivation comes from or whether genes or environment causes a certain behavior. The most surprising thing I learned about in this reading was about Phineas Gage. What surprises me the most about his story is that he was able to not only survive having a rod go completely through his head, but he fully recovered from it (physically)! I also think it’s interesting how, until technology became available, the only way to really study the brain and figure out how it works was to study brain damaged people. Some psychological term I used was plasticity, hemisphere, and genes.

The Early Study of the Brain
Since the early years of the nineteenth century, scientists such as Franz Gall have set out to seek the truth and the reality of how the human brains work. Although his attempts to figure out a way to find the personality of a person’s brain through phrenology were basically laughed at, he used this system of mapping out the bumps and regions of the skull to eventually catch the attention of the people. With their attention grasped at Gall’s theory, the future would change and the idea of localizing brain regions would increase a spark in science.
Within psychology there is the brain. With this psychology is possible because, initially, the brain causes us to act or behave in a particular way. With psychology, we can study why the brain acts in a certain way that makes a person behave in a particular manner. Today we can study brain activity and brain function in order to understand psychological questions. We study this because with the brain being active at all times, we can have a better understanding of why memories are made, why we feel a certain way, and also why we think about the things we think about.
The most surprising thing about early studies of the brain was the fact that scientists, such as Franz Gall and Paul Broca, had little to no technology and yet the prevailed and now scientists today know what they have studied from these scientists. This surprised me and can be seen as the most memorable because today we have technology everywhere. But these scientists had nothing yet they still trusted themselves and their love for science to find the answers that they were looking for. With these scientists we have knowledge of phrenology, psychographs and Broca’s area.

Terms used in essay:
Broca’s area , phrenology, psychographs.

The topic I found most interesting to learn about, was which parts of the brain are responsible for which behaviors and functions. For example, the frontal lobe is responsible for planning and movement. It’s really interesting to read stories about people who have had different brain injuries and how it has affected the functioning of their brains. It’s amazing how the brain has plasticity and is so adaptive to injury, the environment and drugs.

Brain is important to studying psychology because it controls our behaviors, emotions and personality. By understanding how the brain works, it can help answer a lot questions about the behaviors of people. We could better understand mental illnesses like schizophrenia and hopefully discover cures.

The most memorable thing from this reading would be the story about the “Jim Twins”. Their story really argues that genes have a strong impact on characteristics.

Terms used: frontal lobe, plasticity.

The human body is a perfect biological system has a certain structure, specific functions and represents a higher stage of evolution of the organic world. The nervous system in our organism is responsible for all aspects of our life like what we feel, think and do. One of the most interesting topics was common neurotransmitters and their functions. Every pleasurable experience activates dopamine neurons. Increased dopamine produces a desire to perform behaviors. Dopamine makes us want to eat the food, drink a water or juice or even spend time with people we like. Also I really liked to read about "Jim Twins» case study. The two brothers who were separated at birth and raised by different families but still had so many similarities. They both married women with the same names, they both named a sons Alan, and gave a name Toy for their dogs and so on.
Psychology is the study of mental activity and our behavior, while everything people do depends on the brain. Special Mechanisms in the brain regulate your breathing, food intake, thinking, emotion, motivation and so on. Consequently we need to study our brain and its functions to understand how this complicated system works. Also to analyze any psychological disorders first we need to understand our brain.
The most memorable think I learned today is the case of Michelle Mack and plasticity of her brain. Her right hemisphere took over duties of her damaged left hemispheres. It shows how the brain can develop and change due to injury and how nurture can impact nature.
Terms used: Neurotransmitters, dopamine, plasticity, neurons.

One of the most interesting topics I read about was how complex and amazing our nervous system is. I was amazed at how neurons communicate with each other through action potentials, which then affects our thinking and behavior. As I was reading this section our brain sounded more and more like a computer and how everything is precisely connected and if one thing is wrong, it will not function correctly. Studying how the brain works is very important in answering psychological questions. The brain is very complex and is one of the main ways to explain people’s behavior. The brain contains many different parts causing different behavior such as motivations and emotions. One psychological question that can be answered from studying brain function and activity is, “before crossing a street, do you automatically look for cars?” This answer could be answered by studying a subcortical structure called the basal ganglia. This part of the brain is crucial for planning and producing movement and could be the reason why you always look before crossing the street. Studies on the brain through research and technology have made it possible to measure how the brain responds to tasks or events. These methods give insight into how thinking and action depend on our biological processes. The most surprising and memorable thing I learned from this reading was the “Jim twins”. It’s hard to believe how they could be separated at birth, but yet have identical lives. These twins are definitely monozygotic twins with the same genetic makeup. This story show how important behavioral genetics is and explains a lot about why we behave the way we do.
Psychological terms: Monozygotic twins, behavioral genetics, subcortical structure, basal ganglia, neurons, action potential

One topic that stands out to me and has for a while is how much the brain actually does. It controls every action we perform daily, and is working non-stop. It performs from the simplest tasks for some as hearing or seeing, but it also performs the tasks of motor memory and reaction. The reaction is what interests me the most because if you touch a hot surface with your finger, you don’t really react as much as your brain. Your brain is what is telling your finger to pull away from the surface and it just does it for you.
The brain has almost everything to do with psychology. If there is something damaged or a nerve in any lobe or cortex of your brain it could give you permanent brain damage. For example. If your temporal lobe has a bruise or wasn’t fully developed then your sense of hearing would be affected as well as your memory. This connects to psychology due to the fact that psychology is how we think, react, and perform daily tasks every single day. If any of these are problematic then we couldn’t necessarily do daily tasks.
Something memorable to me is Huntington’s disease. The story of Lenore Wexler was something that was interesting to me because she had no control over her nervous system and lost all ability walk, write, and speak. I find this memorable because many diseases like this are past down from generation to generation by genes. Genes are part of every one’s life, and are a likely-hood something you could have during birth. It may not always be the case, but it is for the most part a good possibility.
Terms: Motor-memory, reaction, lobe, cortex, brain damage, temporal lobe, Huntington’s disease, genetics.

Personally, the most interesting part of the reading was the studies that they showed on twins to explain the nature vs nurture effects. I was shocked on how the twins would be very identical, even when separated at birth. They acted the same, and in one case both married and divorced women with the same name. This is just thought of as coincidence, but nevertheless is very interesting when looking on how the environment that the twins are raised in influences how they act. Another part I found interesting was the section on how environment changes our brains. This section talked about a girl missing her left hemisphere of her brain, but her right would adapt and reorganize to be able to perform the task that are originally done by the missing part. This is more successful in children than adults, and do actually do procedures to remove parts of the brain. I was just amazed on how well the brain can adapt to changes in it physically, and still be able to perform close to normally.
Phycology is the study of behavior and mental processes. We believe these both happen or are influenced by our brain, so to understand psychology we should study how the brain works. To understand why we think and why we behave we first have to figure out what gives us the ability to do that. By studying how the brain works and what parts do what can give us a building block on answering these questions of why people behave like they do and have different personalities.
For me the most surprising thing that I read was about nature vs nurture and brain plasticity. The test they did to study these, such as the Minnesota Twins Project and the Michelle Mack Study were eye opening to me because I had no idea that these we possible or even tested. These got me very interested in the reading and made me think about the main question that they posed, Nature vs. Nurture. It is a hard subject to study and actually prove, but scientist are gathering some very good evidence on how the brain changes due to environmental factors and remains consistent to its original genotype.
Key Terms: Nature vs Nurture, Plasticity, Minnesota Twins Project, Michelle Mack Study, Brain Reorganization

The topic that i thought was most interesting was the section where it talked about how genes affect our thoughts and behavior. I thought this was interesting because it made me think of my own family and things that i have inherited from my own parents or grandparents and that its so much more than just eye color, height, and body type but that it can also mean the way we think like depression or alcoholism but it can also mean cancer as well.

We have to study brain activity because it effects the way we think and interact with other people. Psychology is the study of human behavior and mental processes.

The most memorable thing that I read in this chapter would be how much our technology has advanced about how much more that we know about brain activity, but there is still so much that we don't know and so many things that we havn’t even discovered yet when it comes to the brain because it is such a complex thing to understand. Its amazing that every part/system of our body connects somehow for example: the somatic nervous system transmits signals from the central nervous system through our nerves and the autonomic nervous system regulates the body, and yet we still don't have a cure for cancer even after knowing all of these things.

Some psychological terms I used was somatic nervous system, autonomic nervous system, nerves, and genes.

Topics that interested me in chapter two is how our brain can adapt to environments Michelle Mack is an excellent example. Having a major seizure in her mothers womb her brain took on massive damage causing the left side hemisphere to collapse and break down. While their were visible signs that she had suffered from some damage, Michelle Mack was able to still led a independent life with even with some difficulty. This was due to part of the brains ability of Plasticity. Her right side hemisphere took over the duties of her missing left.

The brain is extremely important in psychology because it essentially makes us human. Our brain lets us touch, taste, smell, cognitively think, and problem solve all thanks to our Nervous System which receive information from the world through our senses, then process that information in the brain which lets us remember and understand it. finally it would allow us to respond to it. Learning about the structure of neurons played a part of this. you have the cell body that extends dendrites outward to receive information then the axons transfer the information along to the terminal buttons where the synapses communicate the information to other cells. We should study brain activity to see how it reacts to certain environments. The case of Phineas Gage is a prime example on how a person changes due to brain damage. after suffering a accident where a rod passed through his frontal lob. After a remarkable recovery it was noted that Gage could still walk and speak however his Personality completely changed. Gage who was considered a efficient hard working man stopped. Gage changed into someone who didn't understand the social norms and what was accepted in society he became angry, gross, just someone out of touch with society. I believe this is a reason why we should study the brain in psychology Changes to the brain causes changes to the person and we should focus on how those changes to the brain can affect someone. Their are plenty of diseases and viruses that effect the brain which causes damage to the body in whole to a person. The most surprising thing I learned about was reading about Michelle Mack in how her brain still operated to a degree where she could live her life independent.

Terms Used: Left, Right Hemisphere, Plasticity, Dendrites, Cell Body, Axon, Synapse, Nervous System.

The most interesting topic for me during this reading would be when they talk about if Neurotransmitters influence our mental activity and behavior. They go through the different researches on how drugs and toxic substances affect our body.
The definition of Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and its functions. If no one studied and researched the brain and figured out all the ways it functions and operates, we would not know the things we do. We study brain activity and brain functions to understand psychological questions because we need to know why, or how we do the things we do. For example, if someone wanted to know if the brain is still active while sleeping, there was an experiment that was done. The first method scientists and researchers figured out was a way to record the electrical activity of neurons firing in the brain. They used an EEG device, which can show when someone is about to fall asleep. With this they have shown that the brain is still active when someone is sleeping. The most memorable thing I read about was reading about the amygdala. I thought it was interesting because of how something that scares or frightens you can literally be put in your mind for life, even if it’s something that is not completely true.

Words I used: Neurotransmitters, psychology, and EEG

The idea that environments can change an individual’s brain is extremely fascinating to me. In the book, Michelle Mack was informed that she did not have a whole brain. She was missing her left hemisphere, which is in charge of the logical and systematic thought processes. Her right hemisphere, essentially, picked up the slack and restructured itself to make up for the missing half. When the brain changes or adapts due to other influences, we call it plasticity. Psychology is the study of the brain and mind and its processes; such as, mental functions, behavior, and emotions. These characteristics are all products of the brain. The brain is the “control center” of the body and thus all interactions of the body have a connection to it. It also has a lot of hidden secrets that we do not yet understand simply because of the complexity that the brain has. The Michelle Mack story still is extremely surprising. The fact that she can still properly function with half a brain is remarkable. I also thought that the different sections of the brain (hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain sub-cortical, and forebrain cortical) were really cool, along with all the subsections and their roles. In this post I used the psychological terms plasticity, along with hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain.

In my opinion, I thought the most interesting topic was how the forebrain subcortical structures control our emotions. It is amazing how complex the brain is in general, and I found it interesting that different areas of the brain have so many different functions and systems. For example, the hypothalamus involves the motivation of basic human urges, like eating, aggression, and sex. A different structure in the brain is the hippocampus, which helps form newer memories. Although we never give it much thought, all of these minor structures in the brain are huge factors in our lives. The brain has a lot to do with psychology. For example, the brain has different sections in it that control memory, behaviors, etc. It is important to study brain activity and its function because it helps uncover the “psychology” of our lives. For example, the environment affects the brain’s characteristics, which influences our physical and mental abilities to behave in society. The most memorable thing I learned from this chapter was how genes can affect our thoughts and behaviors. I always thought of genes only contributing to physical characteristics of humans, but they also affect thoughts and behaviors as well. Some psychological terms I used include forebrain subcortical structures, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and genes.

The most interesting topic in this chapter to me was the section on neurotransmitters in the synapse. It is crazy how neurons are able to communicate chemically in the synapse and send signals without even making contact! Our bodies are capable of some unbelievable things! It’s even crazy to just think about how our bodies can send information through chemicals. Chemicals called neurotransmitters that are cable of influencing our mental activity and behavior.
The Brian plays a huge role in psychology. The brain is the source of our thoughts, feelings, movements, senses, and planning. Without a brain we wouldn’t be able to function. Studying the brain and its activities and functions is important to be able to understand psychological questions. When something goes wrong in the body or in the nervous system, if you know which parts of the brain are responsible for which functions, questions can be more easily answered. Like I said, the brain is the source of our every function.
The most memorable thing I will take from this reading is how our brain is clearly separated into different sections that carry out different functions. The frontal lobe for complex thought and movement, parietal lobe for touch, the occipital lobe for vision, and the temporal lobe for hearing and memory.
The most surprising thing I will take from the reading is the case of Michelle Mack and how she was still able to function without the left hemisphere of her brain thanks to the right hemisphere taking over.
Psychological Terms: Neurotransmitters, Synapse, Nervous system, neurons, Frontal lobe, occipital lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe

Our nervous systems are responsible for everything that we feel, think, and do. The functions of the two nervous systems are to receive input through our senses, process this information in the brain, and then respond to this information by acting on it. The central nervous system, consisting of the brain and the spinal cord, processes information that the peripheral nervous system relays to it and then chooses what to do with this information, directing the peripheral nervous system to do specific behaviors. These nervous systems consist of neurons which are the communicators throughout the nervous system with their release of neurotransmitters, the “language” in which the neurons use to carry information throughout the body. The way that the brain processes this information can give us answers to psychological questions about mental activity and behavior. Neurotransmitters are what affect our behavior and so studying brain activity and the way neurotransmitters function in regions of the brain will help us to understand why we act and think certain ways, and will also help us to understand mental diseases.
The topics that are were the most interesting to me was learning about neurotransmitters and how they communicate within our body and then also reading about genes and behavioral genetics and how a combination of nature and nurture influence the way that our genes are expressed.
One of the most memorable things that I learned about would be the famous “Jim twins” case, where twin brothers were separated at birth but led almost identical lives.
Terms that I used: nervous systems, central and peripheral nervous system, neurons, neurotransmitters, and genes

The most interesting topic in this chapter, to me, is the amount of work neurons take to send a sensory signal to the central nervous system and back to the peripheral nervous system, in such a short amount of time. Also, the way the neurotransmitters influence how we behave and how we think, whether the neurotransmitters are agonists or antagonists. It is interesting how the drugs that are often used like heroin and cocaine can forge their way through the neurotransmitter's receptors.
The brain has a ton to do with Psychology because the central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord, are direct connection to our emotions and personality. The brain also shows how one reacts to certain stimuli. The reason we study brain activities and function is so we can detect ones certain reaction to stimulus and other experiments.
The most surprising thing to learn about was all the different types of neurotransmitters and how they all function. For example dopamine a reward and motivation, motor control over voluntary movement, and the endorphins pain reuction reward. I loved how it showed the most important, dopamine, to the what I think the dumpest one is acetylcholine.
neurons, sensory signals, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, neurotransmitters, agonists, antagonists, receptors of the neurotransmitters

While reading this chapter of the book, I reflected a lot on the power of our brain. There is an unlimited amount potential hidden within each individual because we all have this amazing source of power known as the brain. The things that sparked my interest the most were how the nervous system works within our mind and body, how Michelle Mack was able to live a fairly normal life while missing the entire left hemisphere of her brain, and Nancy Wexler finding inspiration from her mother's death to dedicate her life in finding the gene for the Huntington's disease. The nervous system is a very complex and intriguing scheme to study. It is composed of billions of tiny neurons that are responsible for what we think, feel, and do in our life. There are many different moving parts and pieces to this system, which is why when something goes haywire, psychologists are the ones who dive into the problem to search for a solution. Psychologists dedicate their lives to studying and learning all they can about the human mind, without the brain psychologist would cease to exist. The brain has everything to do with psychology and continues to raise questions when a disease forms within the brain or when a person commits an act with questionable end results. Questions, in my opinion, are the sole thing that keeps people going in their everyday lives. If we knew the answers to everything, what would be the point to living? Everyone, not just psychologist, want to know answers to things such as rape,murder, kidnapping, school shootings, and other controversial topics. Why do people act the way they do? Is it because of their past, some sort of brain disease, or simply for no reason at all? The story of Michelle Mack was one that will definitely stick in my mind for awhile. I can only imagine all the obstacles Michelle had to overcome throughout her life, and not even know until the age of 27 that the entire left side of my brain was missing. To me, that would probably be the most shocking news to receive in my life. Although, it is comforting at the same time to learn that even when one is at a disadvantage at life, that cannot stop them from living a perfectly happy and fulfilling life. It is stories like these that inspire me to work hard and not take the small things in life for granted. If someone who is missing the entire left side of their brain and are still able to live a strong independent life, then what's stopping me from reaching my goals in life?

Terms: nervous system, neurons

I found it fascinating how the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system works together and interact constantly every moment of our lives, and in such a short amount of time as well. Also, the fact that there are different types of neurotransmitters, including the one I found most interesting, Epinephrine. The adrenaline rush we get when our body is preparing for a threat from the environment is epinephrine releasing itself.
The brain is huge when it comes to psychology. Without a brain, we wouldn’t be able to function because it’s the source of our thoughts, feelings, movement, and many other things. If we study the brain and its functions, we will better understand psychological questions, and I think that’s important that we know what’s going on when it comes to that topic.
The most surprising read of this chapter, for me, was the story of Michelle Mack and how she lived a somewhat normal life despite not having the left hemisphere of her brain. It’s incredible how her right hemisphere took over processing for the other missing hemisphere. It shows that the human brain is very adaptable, and plasticity takes place.
The psychological terms that I used are neurotransmitters, epinephrine, and plasticity.

The most interesting topic was about the processes in the brain. I read the hindbrain, midbrain, and the forebrain. It went in to great detail about the uses and what the use of what it is for. I learned that different parts of your brain controls certain movement or action. Amygdala is my favorite subcortical structure that deals with your emotions with experience. Neurons are the basic unit of the nervous system and it communicates with each other that gives out signals throughout the body. Different variety of systems are in the brain that have different duties and responsibilities that come together has a family to control and maintain a health, normal functioning body. The brain has everything to do with psychology, because of how much information and skills we have as humans that are mentally dominate in society and history. We learn so much by the brain activity and by the way we know internal damage or how the way we think. Knowing if a being can function correctly can start with knowing what is going on inside the brain and finding a way of knowing how to control the problem. The most surprising thing I learned, had to be how much information and parts there are inside our brain.

Psychological Terms: Hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain and the Amygdala Neurons.

There were many topics that I found interesting in chapter 2. It was interesting how there are so many different parts of our body that make up our nervous system. When we think about the nervous system, there are two parts that make it up, the central and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is the brain and the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system which consists of the somatic and autonomic nervous systems. Another thing that was interesting was the formation of the neuron and how the neuron works. It consists of the dendrites, cell body, and the axon. The coolest part about the neuron is when it comes into contact and creates a synapse.
The brain is an important part in the field of psychology. What we do in our everyday lives starts with what happens in the brain. In dealing with the senses of feel, taste, see, hear, and smell—the brain takes all of these into account and sends chemical signals out to the appropriate parts of the body. If the part of the brain is affected to where it can’t do it’s normal functions, it can lead to psychological problems. We must study brain activity to learn what each part of the brain does. If the part of the brain that lets us speak and hear is affected, then there could be psychological problems when trying to speak or hear.
Something that was surprising to me was how many parts of the brain there are and what function each part has. There are four main parts of the brain that have the main functions that the body does. Within each of these four main parts there is supporting parts that each have their own function. I also found it interesting how fast chemical signals are sent from the brain to the desired area in a split second. If someone was to touch a sharp object, it has to be sent to brain to be registered. Once registered, the brain sends chemical signals through the neurons saying that the person should take their finger off the sharp object. I don’t get how that is done all in a split second.

Psychology terms: neurons, somatic, autonomic

Forgot list of terms: hemineglect, neurons

The most interesting topic for me to learn about would be about Michelle Mack. Although she was born without the left hemisphere of her brain her body still adapted. By her right hemisphere taking up the roles of the left hemisphere it is amazing that she can still do normal bodily functions. Also, by this it demonstrates how nurture can affect nature and how plasticity occurs.
Since psychology deals with the study of our mental activity and behavior it is important to study the role of the brain in order to understand how it relates to way our body reacts. Also, it is important to study brain activity to gain a wider understanding of how the body develops from certain reactions and behaviors.
The most surprising thing I learned from this reading would be Michelle Mack’s story but also the “Jim twins.” Although they were separated at birth, it was surprising to read they had similar lives.
Terms used: plasticity, left/right hemisphere, nurture, nature

From your reading, which topic(s) are most interesting to you?

One topic that I found very interesting was the section that introduced consequences brought on by damaging the brain. When the parietal lobes control opposite sides of the body, so if the right side parietal lobe is damaged, a person can get a neurological disorder called hemineglect that makes it hard for them to notice anything on their left sides. They can’t even see their left side when staring into a mirror, and when asked to draw a picture they most likely will only draw the right half.
Another topic I found interesting is the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and its relationship with botox. Acetylcholine is in charge of motor control of muscles. This neurotransmitter can become impaired, however, by food poisoning called botulism. When the acetylcholine stops being release, it can result in paralysis of muscles. When people have unwanted wrinkles, they will get a small dose of botox injected into their face to damage the acetylcholine paralyze the contracted muscles and result in s smooth face. Too much of this, however, can cause the face to become firm and expressionless.

What does the brain have to do with psychology? Why study brain activity and brain function to understand psychological questions?

In the body, the brain controls the central and peripheral nervous systems, allowing us to think and act through the communication of the neurons in our brain cells. The neurons release action potential into the synapse, which then releases neurotransmitters that carry the signals throughout the entire brain. But what does this have to do with psychology? Well, everything. Psychology is the study of human behavior and mental process. The signals the neurons send trigger emotions and reactions hundreds of times per second.
Some of the major functions of the neurotransmitters are acetylcholine, which influences attention, memory and, sleeping, norepinephrine, which deals with arousal and alertness, serotonin, important for emotional states, impulses, and dreaming, dopamine, which deals with reward and motivation, and endorphins, which control pain reduction.
Knowing that how these functions of the brain work, psychologists can test if someone’s brain region is working effectively based on their behavior with machines such as the transcranial magnetic system. If part of the brain is damaged, people’s behaviors can change drastically. For example, if the prefrontal cortex is damaged, a part of the brain that is critical for rational thought and social interactions, the person will have a hard time getting along with others and will act lethargic and emotionally flat. In fact, phycologists have gathered most of their information on brain functions by studying people whose brains have been damaged.
By learning about how the brain functions and influences human behaviors, psychologists are able to more accurately determine why people behave the way they do and support their claims and studies.

What was the most surprising or memorable thing you learned about in this reading?

The most memorable thing I learned while reading chapter 2 was the syndromes that can be developed by damaging the parietal lobes and losing control on one side of the body. The disorder is called hemineglect and it makes it hard for a person to notice anything on the opposite side of their body in reference to the part of the parietal that was damaged. I just found this disorder very interesting and surprising. I cannot imagine not being able to see or feel half of my body! I have even told my friends and family about this disorder. It is just startling that some small damage to the brain can alter a person’s way of living so drastically.

psychological terms:

Peripheral nervous system, central nervous system, neurons, action potential, synapse, neurotransmitters, transcranial magnetic system, prefrontal cortex, parietal lobe, hemineglect, acetylcholine

I found that the topic of Parkinson's disease was the most interesting to me in this section of the book. The brain is very important in relation to psychology because neurotransmitters within this organ have an immense affect on how we as a human race act and form emotions. Psychologists study the brain to help them further understand why people act and feel the way they do in a variety of given situations. It was surprising to find out that just a few chemicals in the human brain control a multitude of emotions, such as Epinephrine, Dopamine, and Serotonin. I knew that these chemicals controlled a few things but I had no idea that they were so interconnected on a large scale.
Terms: Epinephrine, Seotonin, Dopamine.

One of the most interesting topics I read in this chapter was about the CNS, and the PNS. The central nervous system controls the brain and spinal cord, while the peripheral nervous system controls the nerve cells which leaves the brain and spinal cord and travels to certain parts of the body. The two nervous systems work together by the PNS sending information gathered by the body’s sensory receptors out the body to the CNS as quick as possible. Once the CNS understands the information the PNS will relay the orders back out the body. We study the brain in psychology because the brain is responsible for all aspects of what we feel, think, and do. The brain is also used in psychology because the brain is responsible for three main functions. 1. Receive sensory input from the world through vision, hearing, touch, and smell. 2. The brain is to process all of the information it was received. 3. The brain is responding and taking action. Psychology mainly deals with behavior and our body’s motivation; the brain is a part of the limbic system. The limbic system deals with emotion, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, and olfaction. Psychology is the study of behavior and mental process, so understanding and studying the brain will give a better indulgent of how the brain works, and what it is accountable for. The most surprising thing I read in the chapter was how big of an influence genes have on human our thoughts and behavior.
Psychological terms:
Peripheral nervous system, central nervous system, olfaction, genes.

The most interesting topic for me was the “Jim Twins” or how case study twins that grew up separated tended to have strange similarities to one another. I found it fascinating how they both could have similar behaviors and personalities despite never meeting. It’s really interesting to think about how our genotype can influence psychological characteristics instead of it just being physical characteristics.

The brain not only controls our basic everyday functions but it also controls how we act and think. Psychology studies human behavior and thus to understand how we act and think we must know how the brain works. By getting a better understanding of how the brain works and what functions every part of the brain carries out can also help psychologists understand mental and psychological disorders.

The most surprising thing for me in the reading was how the brain can undergo plasticity to cope with trauma or loss of the brain tissue like in the Michelle Mack example. The idea that brain plasticity can allow someone without the left hemisphere of their brain be minimally affected and still perform certain functions even with the specific region missing is astonishing. It just shows how complex and adaptive the brain really is.

Terms used: genotype, plasticity, Left hemisphere

After reading chapter 2, the most interesting topic to me was how genes interact with the environment to influence us. The “Jim twins” story comes to mind when I think about monozygotic twins. It is amazing that they were seperated at birth and share an immense amount of characteristics such as, naming their dog Toy, driving a Chevrolet, working as law enforcement officers, and marrying women named Linda. Sure, the twins may have different morals and faiths but, the physical factors of their lives are similar.

Another example of separated twins, is Oskar and Jack. They both have different religious faiths but, still have similar characteristics. Both, Oskar and Jack, wear rubber bands around their wrists, dip their toast in coffee, have alike clothing and mannerisms. Genes truly interact with the environment to influence how we are and our behaviors.

Psychology is the study of the human mind and functions and behavioral effects. In order to understand psychological questions, it is critical to grasp brain activity and functions. It is important to figure out how the brain corresponds with our behaviors. The brain is very complex and has several structures, the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and the basal ganglia. It is essential to understand the structures, general cortex’s, occipital, parietal, frontal and temporal lobes, and regions of the brain to better interpret psychology.

The most memorable thing I learned throughout this section was also very surprising. Reading about Michelle Mack is very interesting because the left hemisphere of the brain maneuvers the right side of the body. My question was, “How can she still function correctly?” this is why I thought it was most memorable because it is remarkable she only has minimal effects. The right hemisphere of Michelle’s brain took over the capabilities of the her left hemisphere.

Terms: Monozygotic, Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Hippocampus, Amygdala, Basal Ganglia, Occipital, Parietal, Frontal, and Temporal Lobes.

What I find the most interesting in chapter 2 is how amazing the brain is. He brain has all of these little parts that need to work together to make thoughts and actions. For instance the forebrain has multiple areas that do different things. The occipital lobes let you see, the temporal lobes help you hear, and the frontal lobes help you think. This is only just one small part of the brain, too. What’s even cooler is that the brain is part of the nervous system which is made of these little things called neurons that sends messages, called neurotransmitters, to the brain so the brain can tell the body what to do. What’s even cooler is that if some traumatic event happens and damages one of the brain’s hemispheres the other hemisphere will eventually take on both sides of the brain in one hemisphere in a process called plasticity. The brain is so awesome which is why it was my favorite part of the chapter.

The brain is a big part of psychology. The definition of psychology is the scientific study of the brain and behavior, so obviously it is important. The brain is responsible for the way we react to events in our everyday lives. By understanding how the brain works we can determine what might be causing different mental illnesses, or find a medical treatment for a learning disability. Take for example the story of Phineas Gage. Gage worked for a railroad company and took a metal rod through the head and survives. He could talk and function almost normally, however his personality changed completely. Everyone that knew him said he was a different man after the accident. Only recently have scientist been able to understand what happened to him by studying reconstructions of the injury. The brain is a big part of psychology because without knowledge of the brain psychology would not be the same field it is today.

One of the most memorable things I read in chapter 2 was the story of the “Jim twins.” This is really crazy how these two guys were separated at birth yet completely identical to each other. I mean really who names a dog Toy? This just shows how big a role genes play in our lives.

Psychological terms I used were: brain, forebrain, occipital lobes, temporal lobes, frontal lobes, nervous system, neurotransmitters, hemisphere, plasticity, psychology, and genes

Dendrite, Cell Body, Axon, Terminal Buttons, Synapses, Neurotransmitter, Hindbrain

The most interesting topic to me was understanding how our brain has developed over time. In the early study of the brain, some psychologists came upon mental processes resulting in brain function. I find it very interesting that different parts of the brain do different functions for your everyday lives. In the early nineteenth century, Franz Gall and Johann Spurzheim came upon phrenology. This is the practice of assessing personality traits and mental abilities by measuring bumps on the skull. The brain has to do with psychology because it links functions that we do to our brain because our brain is telling us what we need to do. We study the brain because it is always active and we can have a better understanding of the process of how we feel and how we make memories. The most surprising thing that I learned is even with very little technology, you can still learn so much.
terms used - phrenology

I really found the information about the nervous system to be fascinating. All the duties and responsibilities of the nervous system just amazes me. It receives and decodes all the info it receives from our senses and then processes all of it so we can better understand what is happening. By doing this it allows us to better react to the info. The nervous system is an extremely important and astounding part of our bodies and our brains.

The brain controls everything we do which is why we need to study it for psychology. The brain is amazing and is the main reason people act and behave the way we do. Psychology is the study of behavior so by better understanding our brains, therefore we can better understand behavior.

I found Michelle Mack’s story to be incredible. Her story shows just how amazing the brain is and how through plasticity the brain is able to repair itself and continue to function. For the brain to go through something as challenging as that and be able to still provide Michelle a normal life is amazing.

The terms I used were: nervous system, plasticity

Personally, the most interesting topic from the reading so far has been how genes affect our thoughts and behavior and the link between genotypes and phenotypes. The fact that our genetic makeup is set at the moment of conception and never changes, yet our observable physical and psychological characteristics which are influenced by our genotypes can/do change, fascinates me.
Psychology is basically the scientific study of the mind and our behavior, hence why knowledge of how the brain functions is vital to the better understanding the mind and body. Neurotransmitters are in control of every aspect of how the mind and body works and neurotransmitters are apart of the brain. Many psychological questions deal with why we do or act the way we do so to better investigate that it is essential to understand at least the basic functions of the brain.
Something that stuck with me after reading this chapter was the development and use of lobotomies. The lobotomy is a procedure in which deliberate damage was done to a patient’s prefrontal cortex and left the patient physically alive, but emotionally flat. After reading this I couldn’t help but wonder how long it took them to het this procedure to work just right and how many animals and/or people may have died during the experimental process. This procedure both frightens and intrigues me and I plan on reading more about it in my free time.

Psychological Terms Used: genotypes, phenotypes, neurotransmitters, lobotomy, and prefrontal cortex.

One of the topics that most interested me was that environment changes our brains. In Michelle Mack’s case, she only had one side of her brain. During her development in the womb, her one side of the brain was able to compensate for the other half she was missing. The fact that she never had or only briefly had both sides of her brain and she can still function is a complete testament to how adaptable the brain truly is in reality. It really is amazing how the plasticity of our brains can be so influential in how we function, how we learn, and how we grow. The brain has to do with psychology because it is the source and cause of our behaviors, urges, needs, and wants. Psychology is the study of mental activity and behaviors. The brain is a crucial part in psychology and it is imperative to go to the source, the brain, in order to understand what questions to ask and how to organize an experiment to help us understand behaviors. One of the most memorable things I learned was that even though men’s and women’s brains may develop differently and have some overall differences, we are mostly the same. It is interesting because in society today, people of all ages argue the fact that men and women are completely different when in reality we aren’t so different after all. A word I used was plasticity. Plasticity simply means that the brain can change and grow according to its environment.

I was most interested in the phrenology, and how they determined mental abilities and personality traits based on the size and location of the bumps all over the skull. Then how that evolved to the concept of different brain regions perform and are responsible for different functions. The brain is the control center of the body. Therefore it controls how we react to and think about every situation we encounter. We study brain activity and brain function to understand why we think and interpret things the way we do and to make new discoveries to advance our knowledge about the brain. I enjoyed learning about the Minnesota Twin Project, and about Michelle Mack’s Plasticity condition. It’s so crazy to think that she didn’t have half of her brain, yet she still acted as a normal adult and lead a normal and functional life. I was also quite intrigued with the differences between the male and female brains.
Key terms: phrenology, Minnesota Twin Project, Plasticity

What topic(s) are most interesting to me?

Learning about the Monozygotic Twins. They’re perfectly identical coming from one zygote dividing into two. The “Jim Twins” blew my mind away reading that they both went on to live the same identical life. I still wonder how two people can do all of the same things in life without ever fully knowing the other twin. Knowing they came from the same fertilized egg helps, but that still makes me curious about how similar their brain and nerves are.

What does the brain have to do with psychology? Why study brain activity and brain function to understand psychological questions?

We need to study the brain activities and functions because it controls how we act and think. The only way to fully understand how and why we act and think is to study the brain and our functions. Psychologists themselves can test human brains and different parts or regions to figure out if each is working effectively. Studying the behavior and if the brain is in good or bad shape, than the mood or behavior could change very quickly.

What was the most surprising or memorable thing you learned about in this reading?

For me, the most interesting thing was learning about the Monozygotic Twins. Since I’ve already talked about that subject than I will say learning about the nervous system was my favorite reading. Learning about the different parts of the nerves and how they all connect amazed me. The central nervous system intrigued me knowing that is our brain and spinal cord, which contain so many nerve cells that are vital to our body.

Word list- Zygote, Central Nervous System, Psychologists, and Fertilized eggs.

What I found most interesting was "Neurotransmitters Influence Our Mental Activity Behavior" or basically the drugs that effect our thoughts and emotions. I've already learned about them due to other classes and speakers I've been too but every time someone new explains it, there's new little facts and examples that are just so darn interesting. Like I had no idea that heroin and cocaine have the effects they do because they are so chemically similar to neurotransmitters that occur naturally already. And all this? It all happens in the brain. The epicenter of our bodies, seeing as if it malfunctions then we will malfunction. Because in case you didn't know, the brain has everything to do with psychology. Why? Well just for a start, its the center of all mental processes. That means there is quite obviously a lot going on up there. So, why would you want to study brain activity and function? Because in order to understand psychological questions you must know how the brain functions. For example, understanding how hormones work can explain certain behavior and physical aspects in an age group. Knowing the genetic makeup of someones brain can explain, over time, why they are the way they are. Now, the most memorable thing probably has to do with what I said before on how those two drugs that are almost completely man made are so chemically similar to something that is already in our bodies.
Key terms: neurotransmitters, genes, hormones

The topic that really caught my attention through the reading was the how the different parts of the brain work together simultaneously at all times. It gave me a better insight as to why people feel and act the way we do. I found the short paragraph about lobotomies very interesting because it gave a better insight as to how depression affects the mind chemically and how to approach the situation now compared to 80 years ago. The brain works in so many ways that you don’t usually think about in a normal day. This reading really gave metacognition a new meaning. I found myself really immersed in the topic of the Prefrontal Cortex and how it is so important to us as humans and important in the way we communicate. If someone had a hard time communicating or had a hard time understand other humans reaction or expression would be a strong indicator that something psychologically and/or biologically may be askew. If that is diagnosed of something than it seems as if a psychiatrist would then check other levels such as dopamine or serotonin. It really resonates with me that just from someone’s social abilities you can tell if chemical imbalance is in place or maybe a mental “block” is hindering someone’s perception.

Terms Used: Prefrontal Cortex, Dopamine, Serotonin

In chapter two of Psychology in your life the topic that was most interesting for me was the story of Gage. Gage dropped a tamping iron on top of some blasting powder, which ignited sending the iron rod directly through his cheek, passing beyond his frontal lobes and ending up coming out the top of his head. After the tragic accident Gage wasn’t himself anymore. His injuries to his brain led him to not fulfill his duties as a foreman. The area of the brain the rod past through is called the prefrontal cortex which beholds all your social processes. This was founded by recent studies of other peoples affected with the same kind of injury.
The definition of psychology is the study of mental activity and behavior, which are based on brain processes. With out a brain we wouldn’t have functions to our emotions, feelings, thoughts, neurotransmitters and other responses throughout our bodies. The reasoning of studying the brain is to teach us of its abilities and understandings on how it actually works. Once we find out all of its functions we can then answer psychological questions that arise such as curtain emotional disorders and other enquiries that come to question.
In the reading of chapter two the most memorable thing I learned was the brain of female and male humans are very similar. The only things that make them psychologically different from one another are the biological and environmental effects on the brain.

Psychological terms: frontal lobe, prefrontal cortex, and neurotransmitters

Chapter 2

9/2/2014

I think it is interesting of how the different parts of the brain control different parts of the body. For example, the front left side, (broca’s area) controls speech while the parietal lobes control touch and spatial information. I also found the story about the monozygotic twins interesting as well. The two children were raised in two opposite environments, but yet they had the same interests and characteristics.

Our brain is the control center. The brain controls things such as human behavior, which happens to be the study of psychology. Today people study the human brain to understand and solve psychological questions.

The story about Michelle Mark very interesting as well. Its amazing how well the brain can adapt to the different traumas we may suffer through life.

Broca’s area, parietal lobes, monozygotic

The parts that stood out to me in chapter two were: the section about the major neurotransmitters and their roles, and the section about Phineas Gage. First of all, the Phineas Gage story is amazing to me, and the fact that he was still able to survive and function after a rod went through his frontal lobes shows how sophisticated the brain is. The section about neurotransmitters was interesting to me, and a few of the concepts that stuck out to me were serotonin being the neurotransmitter that is responsible for emotional states and impulse control, and dreaming. The brain is one of the key components in understanding psychology, while the brain is a muscle, when studied it can show us why we think the way we do, and why we feel the way we do. The brain is the main bridge between our physical being and our psychological being. The thing that stuck out the most to me in this reading was the Phineas Gage story, it’s crazy to think about how complicated the brain is.

•Neurotransmitters
•Phineas Gage
•Frontal lobes
•Serotonin

What most interesting thing in chapter two are the twin studies. How two identical twins can grow up in two way different home and still be very similar not only biologically but the way they act and the things they do even though they grew up in two separate homes and had two separate lives. Another interesting thing is Mitchelle Mack, how she lived for twenty-seven years without knowing she did not have a left hemisphere in her brain. How she overcame that and still learned how to move her right side of her body and how she was able to talk without a left hemisphere.
The brain has many different parts to it, and each part of the brain helps us do something, either talk, write, see or be able to move a part of our body. Psychology has to do with the brain because psychologist study how the brain works from the brain to the body and why each part of the brain works like does. For example, why is the thalamus used for sensory information except for smell.
Psychologist also study how the brain develops over time and what changed occur in the brain as people age or if people get hurt how does it effect the brain. How Phineas Gage was working on the railroad and an iron got driven through his head. After the accident he was studied because he survived and psychologist found that his behavior became very rude and aggressive he changed drastically because one part of his brain was stabbed. Psychologist study activity in the brain to understand what part of the brain helps people do things like see or write. They also study the brain because Psychologist, want to know what part make you think when you see a certain object.
In this reading the most memorable thing was the “Jim Twins” how these twins were separated at birth, had the same name and followed the same timeline. Both married a lady named Linda got divorced and married a lady name Betty they even names their dog and kid the same. It’s amazing how if someone has the same genes how they can grow up in two very different places and still be very much alike in the end.

Left Hemisphere
Thalamus
Genes
Phineas Gage

The most interesting topic for was about Michelle Mack, who was missing the left hemisphere of her brain. It’s incredible that the brain is able to adapt as extremely as it does. The brain controls everything, it control who we are as a person. Every unique quality we have is because of our brain. That’s what psychology is all about the study of human behavior and who we are as people. The most memorable thing to me was about monozygotic twins that lived apart from each other, how they were raised in different environment and didn’t know one another but yet had so much in common.

Psychological terms: Hemisphere and monozygotic

The topic that stood out most to me was the Minnesota Twin Project that compared twins who were raised together verses twins who were separated at birth. I found it interesting to see how much our genes influence us. The Jim Twins, for example, were so much alike even though they were not raised together. It was weird to see that they both married girls with the same name then divorced and remarried girls with the same name again and that they both vacationed in Florida. It was really interesting to read about them along with the other twins that were in the study. The brain is basically what controls us, it controls our emotions, movements, and thoughts. Each part of the brain processes different things, For example the cerebellum has to do with motor learning, coordination, and balance. The amygdala has to do with emotions and experiences. Since psychology is the study of mental activity and behavior and the brain is where mental activity takes place. Everything we do, say, or think processes through the brain so psychology and the brain go hand in hand. Psychologists want to know why people do the things they do and study the brain to figure these things out. Without knowing how the brain works we wouldn’t understand psychology. By studying the brain we are able to understand more and more about psychology and keep researching questions we have so that we learn why people react the way they do in certain situations or why people feel the way they do at certain times. The most memorable thing that I learned in this reading was learning about how the brain has plasticity and can adapt to different injuries that cause damage. The Michelle Mack story gave us an example of this and I thought reading about how when she was in her mother’s womb she suffered damage in the left hemisphere of her brain but instead of not being able to speak and use the right side of her body, the right hemisphere of her brain basically adapted. By the brain adapting she was able to do these things better than they thought she would have.
Cerebellum, amygdala, plasticity

I found the topic of neurotransmitters to be the most interesting topic in this section. Neurotransmitters are extremely important as they allow neurons to communicate with each other to influence specific thoughts and behaviors. Knowing which neurotransmitter does what is fascinating because I know which one is working as I am feeling something like increased energy or hunger. The brain is involved in every single thing we do, from feeling emotions to moving specific parts of the body. It uses neurons to communicate everything that happens in the mind and body and releases hormones that affect feelings and actions, so if this is studied and connections are made between what is being shared through neurons and what a person is thinking and doing, we can understand the psychology of an individual. The story of Phineas Gage was incredibly surprising. He survived having a rod penetrate his skull through the frontal lobe, and for the most part, remaining healthy. He did suffer some changes in personality and mental and physical functions, which led to doctors further understanding the different parts of the brain and what they do. Terms I used include neurons, neurotransmitters, and frontal lobe.

The part of the reading that was most interesting to me was the fact that different parts of the brain controlled different things, and that if one certain part were to get injured you would still be able to live a fairly normal life with only a few changes in behavior, emotions, etc. The way that the neurons all have to work together simultaneously in order for things to happen really just shows the power of the human brain. It was also interesting learning about the way that the neurons send signals to each other, and how the amount of chemicals that they have in them decides whether or not they fire the signals off to the next neuron. The brain has to do with psychology because everything that happens starts in the brain, the signals that are sent from one neuron to the next are what triggers the thoughts in our minds and gives us our feelings and emotions. Our brain is the thing that controls our body’s functions and regulates it. It is important to study the brain in Psychology, because it helps to understand how the science of our brain affects the way that we act. By studying the brain functions we can better make medicine that will help balance out the chemicals that are in our brains which can help deal with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental health problems that many people face in our world today. The most memorable part of this reading for me was the how your emotions are affected by the amount of chemicals that are being produced within your brain. It’s weird to think that happiness is affected by the amount of dopamine that is in your system. Another part that I found fairly surprising was how greatly the frontal lobe affected your emotions, and how in the mid 1900’s doctors would detach the frontal lobe from their patients in order to fix mental issues. It doesn’t seem like something that anyone would think of doing and it’s crazy to think that people were doing that not that long ago.

The most interesting topic to me was the neurotransmitter Dopamine. To me it is interesting because the dopamine receptors produce a desire to perform a behavior. When you are thirsty, hungry, or aroused these activate the dopamine receptors. The brain in the control center of our body. The brain’s electrical activity is linked with changes in the flow of blood carrying oxygen and nutrients to the active brain regions. The brain fascinates me because it controls our behavior, personality, speech, and emotions. The brain is also very complex too. A few of the many brain parts are the hippocampus (which forms new memories), the temporal lobes (controls hearing and memory), and the brainstem (controls breathing, heart rate, and survival mechanisms). Without the brain we would be nothing. Everything we do and its reasoning comes from the brain. To understand psychological questions you have to understand what each part of the brain does and why it does it. There are three main divisions of the brain, hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain. In the forebrain there are five subcortical structures. Each structure controls a different part in our body. For example our 5 senses, except for smell, body rhythms and temperature, responses, memories, and how we plan activities. Each one of these is curtail to everything to do in life. Without our brain activity none of this would happen. The most memorable thing to me was Lenore Wexler. What first got my attention was a police officer stopped her because he thought she had been drinking. Lenore was stumbling across the street and did not have control over her movements. She had Huntington’s and eventually died from it. After she died her daughter, Nancy who was a neuropsychologist and geneticist, detected herself to finding the gene that cause this disorder that killed her mother. It makes me sad that people that do not know they have the Huntington’s gene do not know until their kids are in their 40’s and start showing signs of it. They still do not have a cure for it but they are able to test to see if you have the gene, which is an improvement.
Terms I used: neuropsychologist, geneticist, neurotransmitter, Dopamine, hippocampus, temporal lobes, brainstem

The topic that most interested me throughout this reading was the topic that was based on our neurotransmitters. The brain is an extremely complex organ within our bodies. I found it interesting that these neurotransmitters can have such a huge effect on the function of our brain and body. As an athlete I could relate to the idea of “runners high”, a term used to describe the release of endorphins after taking a run. It releases endorphins as a sort of “reward” to the body. Another transmitter that I found interesting was the Epinephrine or “adrenaline”. This is the neurotransmitter that keeps us on our toes. It alerts us to danger, which explains when someone jumps when they are scared, or they create the hairs on the back of our neck to stand up.
The brain has everything to do with psychology. It controls our every functions. The different chemicals that are released through our body and that go into our nervous system explain a lot of the reasons we react to certain situations. It reveals that “natural” side of humans and our behavior.
The most memorable thing that I will take from this chapter is the idea of behavioral genetics. Some siblings can be very outgoing, athletic, and school smart, while the other siblings are shy, artistic, and have to work harder to get good grades. It amazes me that two people who come from the same gene pool can be so different. It is also important to know that the environment surrounding us brings out different aspects of those genes. Life experiences and genes differ for every person, making everyone their own individual person.
Terms: behavioral genetics, gene, nervous system, neurotransmitter, Endorphin, Epinephrine, adrenaline,

The most interesting topic to me is Genes Interact With Environment to Influence Us, especially the Monozygotic twins and Dizygotic twins. Because I am the only child in my family, this topics makes me want to explore how the people who have twin siblings think, behave and the strong genetic influences in shaping their personalities. Plus since it’s not normal siblings which were born successively, but were born from the mother’s womb simultaneously, it more stimulates me to feel how human body functioning magically. Because in our brain and body, there is a huge network which is called nervous system, that consists of billions of cells. And this system is taking charge of all aspects of what we feel, think and do. So studying brain activity and brain function can let us understand psychological questions better.

The most surprising fact that I learned is the “Jim twins” study. It is so incredible how exactly the same these twin brothers did in their life. It is absolutely rare, but we cannot deny that such strong genes do affect in shaping human’s personality and behavior only because of its rareness.

Psychological terms that I used: Monozygotic twins, Dizygotic twins, nervous system, “Jim twins” study.

The topic I found most interesting in this weeks reading was how growing up in the same house has little effect on personality. I was fascinated by the monozygotic and dizygotic twin studies. Identical twins who grew up in separate household still had strange coincidences in their lives. Whether these traits were related to genes or not, the connection between the twins was still extremely evident. One of the examples given was the Jim Twins. They both married and divorced a woman named Linda and then remarried a woman named Betty. I was captivated by these strange similarities. The most surprising and memorable part of this reading was how adaptable our brains are, especially when the brain is young. Thanks to plasticity our brain is capable of reorganizing itself even if an entire piece of the brain is missing. In the case of Michelle Mack she was missing the entire left hemisphere of her brain. Instead of experiencing extreme speech and motor disabilities she lives with only minimal effects. Psychology terms used: monozygotic, dizygotic, plasticity, left hemisphere

The topic that caught my eye the most was how Phineas Gage had a metal rod pass through his cheek, and frontal lobes, and then out the top of his head and he was still able to walk. His prefrontal cortex was the most damaged and because of that he wasn't the same Gage. It is just amazing to me that he could live through that, when they didn't have the technology we have now. Lobotomy’s also are something that really grabbed my attention. It's just hard to believe that they would purposely damaging someone's brain so it was easier to handle people with severe problems in hospitals. Psychology is the study of mental activity and behavior, and both of those are housed in the brain. Without studying the brain, we wouldn't be able to figure out why people act the way they do, or why they do something a certain way. I’m just all together in awe of how much our brain actually can do. I was really surprised about how Michelle Mack’s right brain took over the functions of the left brain. It really amazes me that the brain’s plasticity can actually do that.

Key Terms: Frontal Lobes, Prefrontal Cortex, Lobotomy, Psychology, Plasticity

When reading my favorite part of it was the nature and nurture section. I think its interesting how it explained how genes have a major part in who we are but nature and nurture can turn the genes 'on' or 'off' deepening on the environment and the situations.
Psychologically is how we perceive our surroundings then using our senses to receive and interpret it. Our brain is a huge asset in helping retrieve and interpret because our brains controls the central and peripheral nervous system allowing it to act on the input from the world and create our reaction in what we feel, think and do. We study this relationships because psychology is the study of human behavior and mental processes and the brain why we react the way we do and how we think. So by connection them we can figure out why we do certain behaviors and why people feel different ways due to chemicals in the brain. We also study the brain to learn how genes are passed and if certain traits are genetic or not, like in the twin studies.
When reading the most memorable part would be about the parts of the brain. Yet I don't remember them all yet I find the brain so interesting and how it functions and how the parts function even more interesting.

Vocabulary- Nature/Nurture,Central nervous system, Peripheral nervous system, gene

The thing that I found most interesting in this chapter was the fact that male and female brains although in many ways are very similar, have a few differences. For instance, males generally have larger brains than females, according to Jay Geild and his colleagues. To be exact they stated that boys' brains are 9 percent larger than female brains. I also found it interesting that, "bigger is not always better" according to the text. It is said that for females, language use is distributed more across the two hemispheres and because of this, is a female was to endure brain damage to half of her brain she would be less affected on her language abilities than a man would.

The Brain has almost everything to do with Psychology. The Brain controls our physical and biological functions, without these functions we would be unable to perform feelings or create relationships in which create psychology. In earlier times, people and researchers alike did not know how much of an affect that the brain has on mental stimulation. I think a good example that shows how progress has been made when it comes to understanding that the brain has a large influence on psychology would be the theory of Phrenology. The study of Phrenology was the practice of assessing personality traits and mental abilities by measuring the bumps on the human skull. This was popular in the 1930s and actually was used a lot in the enterprising companies manufactures psychographs, these were device use to determine personality. These were found often times at county fairs and other light hearted attractions, and although many people did not take these functions seriously, this started the progression of thought that brain functions had specific locations in the brain. It is important to continue studying how the brain is interconnected with psychology because there continues to be more and more evidence that the brain is one of the most important factors in what psychology is and how it affects us.

I think that the most memorable bit of information that I took from this reading would be the study of the twins and how even though they can be raised in completely different environments and their surrounding can be polar opposites, they can and have proven to still share very similar characteristics and behavioral patterns.

Psychological Terms: Phrenology

To me, the most interesting portion of the reading was the story of Phineas Gage. It is extraordinary that he was able to survive such a tragic event, but the side effects to his injuries were startling. The happenings of this event have revealed several secrets to the psychology field, which is the scientific study of mental activity, behavior, and the brain. Through the study of psychology we are able to better understand the brain and it’s functions, and concoct ways to cure or heal injuries and illnesses associated with the brain.
Another surprising fact I learned throughout the reading was how the complexity of the brain determines the difference between species. Animals/beings with more organized and complex brains will in turn be more intelligent.

The topic that I found was the most interesting to read about was all of the different parts of the brain and their functions. I think it’s fascinating how such a small part of the brain controls a large part of our body and what it does. For example, the hypothalamus is small but it affects the functions of many internal organs by releasing hormones and regulating different aspects like body temperature and how much we eat and sleep. I look forward to learning more about the research and the methods that psychologists use to attain information about the brain. That being said, the brain has everything to do with psychology because it is the study of our mind and its behavior. The brain allows us to process information and let us think about and respond to the world around us. We study this because it is important to know what is going on in our brain and why these actions are occurring. If we know this information it makes it easier to understand the reasons why we behave the way that we do. The most memorable thing for me in this chapter was how genes affect our thoughts and behavior. Most of us know that genes control our physical characteristics such as height, eye color, and body type. But genes do more than that. Genes that are passed down influence our likelihood for diseases and other things like alcoholism and depression. They also have an influence on our actions and personality. The psychological terms I used were hypothalamus, hormones, and genes.

Psychology ia about the science of human behavior. So looking at the brain and how our different experiences effect it differently is interesting.
By studding the brain we can begin to understand people and the motivation behind their thoughts and actions.
It also surprised me was the role genetics plays and the fact that something as uncontrollable as our very DNA can have such an impact on our daily lives. The monozygotic twins when raised in completely different lives had many of the same interests!
Something rather memorable was Phineas Gage and the rod that was shoved through his frontal lobe giving him a lobotomy rather effectively.

Words used: frontal lobe lobotomy

The topic that is most interesting to me is the Nature VS Nurture. Many case studies have been done one twins. Monozygotic twins are those who come from the same egg. Researchers study this to see if the environment or where they come from have an effect on how they live. The most interesting studies to me are the ones where they take the identical twins and raise them in totally different upbringings. Oskar and Jack had two different families, for example Oskar was Jewish while Jack was a Christian Nazi. Even though they have totally different backgrounds they share some unusual habits. I have talked about this many times with family members and teachers and everyone seems to have a different outlook on it.
The most memorable thing would have to be the fact that so many different parts of the brain control different things in the body. For instance, the hindbrain controls breathing and heart rate, while the forebrain controls emotions and movement
I believe the brain has everything to do with psychology. It tells the body how to function. People study brain activity and brain function to understand psychological because it gives a better understanding of why different people do different things, or why different people may do the same things. We all have the same systems in our body like the endocrine system that connect to the brain that makes us make some of our own choices.
Nature VS Nurture, Monozygotic, Oskar and Jack, Hindbrain, Forebrain, Endocrine System.

The Topic that I found most interesting in chapter 2 is how our genes affect our thoughts and behavior. Huntington’s disease is a disease that affects the nervous system and damages parts of the brain. This causes abnormal body movements and loss of the ability to walk write or speak. Even though they still have not found a cure for Huntington’s disorder determining which gene caused it can help in finding the cure. Huntington’s helps us understand that genes also influence our predispositions to certain diseases, such as cancer and alcoholism. Your genetic makeup or your genotype is set at the moment of conception and never changes. If a person is raised in an environment that is around a large amount of alcohol that person is more likely to be an alcoholic when they grow older. Psychologists study the ways that genes are expressed in distinct environments.
Our brain works in many different ways and forms. Each part of the brain has a different function. The hindbrain holds the brainstem and cerebellum, which monitors breathing and coordination, and the midbrain that holds the substantia nigra, which monitors motor activity. Each part of the brain controls different thoughts, this is why its important to study a brain and how it works. Psychologists study different thought patterns to determine a mental disorder that might cause a sudden reaction in a persons behavior.
One of the most memorable topics I learned in this chapter would be how our genes affect our thoughts and behavior, or when the type of surroundings you are raised in can affect the way you think when you’re older.
Psychological terms: genotype, predispositions, hindbrain, midbrain, and substantia nigra

The topic that was most interesting to me was the brain damage case of Phineas Gage. The fact that he survived the tamping iron blasting into his cheek, through his frontal lobes, and out through the top of his head blows my mind. It’s crazy that one day you can be yourself, and the next day is completely different. It would suck to not be able to go back to a job you were really good at because you had problems due to brain damage from an accident you were in. Our brain causes us to act and behave in different ways. That has to do with psychology because we can study why the brain acts or behaves in the particular ways it does. We need to study brain activity because it is essential for us to find more discoveries as to how humans develop and interact. The most surprising thing to me is how big of an effect the nervous system has on our body. It is responsible for all aspects of what we think, feel, and do.
Psychological Terms- Frontal Lobes, and Nervous System

The most interesting topic to me was about Phineas Gage. Phineas Gage was a young man who got in an accident and had a tamping rod go through his left frontal lobe of his brain. It was interesting to see how he acted before and after the accident. The brain controls more than we think. It controls how we behave, how we think, our speech and a lot more. If we study the brain we can try and understand it more like why we do what we do or why we think the way we think. The most surprising thing to me was Phineas Gage actually living after he had a rod go through his skull. Also, how he acts now like using gross profanity, never carrying out plans, and refuse to listen if what others said interfered with what he wanted. Before the accident he was a good worker and got along with others which completely changed after the accident. The Psychological words used: left frontal lobe

The most interesting topic to me was how the different parts of our brain function. Also the method of transcranial magnetic stimulation, because it seems to me the opposite way of figuring if a certain part of the brain does something. Whenever I think about scientists trying to figure out if part of the brain does something I think of them using an fMRI or looking at the metal activity, not stopping function in a part of the brain to see if it effects anything.

The brain has many chemicals/neurotransmitters that effect personality and emotions. The brain helps us figure out why we do what we do, it plays a vital part in understanding behaviours.

The most surprising thing I learnt through this reading was how men and women's brains differ when it comes to language. And even more how they aren't very different. One would expect men and women to have more different than just what side of their brain they use more, but that also shows how much which side of the brain you use effects your personality.

Terms used: neurotransmitters, TMS, fMRI

One of the first things I found interesting in this chapter was learning about the types of neurotransmitters and their major functions. I was familiar with a few of these and it was nice to recognize and relate them to past experiences. I also particularly enjoyed reading about Phineas Gage’s unfortunate accident causing damage to the prefrontal cortex and how early scientists learned about his experience and later effects of his life.
The Brain has everything to do with psychology. By definition psychology is the systematic, objective study of our mental activity and our behavior, and the brain is the thing that controls all of this. Each part of the brain has a unique function and purpose that controls different aspects of human live and behavior so it is important to study and learn from it.
One thing that I found surprising was the section on female and male brains. I think in this society many people are under the impression that female and male brains are very different but it’s refreshing to see that they are more similar then not. The few differences there are come from the effects of biology, environmental effects, and hormones.
Key terms: neurotransmitters, prefrontal cortex, hormones

I am the most interested in the different parts and systems of the brain. I think it’s really interesting how each area in the brain explains our emotions and motivations for doing what we do. The brain plays a major role in psychology because psychology is the study of our behaviors and mental processes. We cannot understand these processes without understanding how the brain works and why we do what we do. By studying the brain’s activities and functions, we are studying psychology. They go hand in hand and cannot exist without the other. I think the nature versus nurture is really interesting, as well. Is it the genes that has the ultimate control, or does our environment prove to be more powerful? It is crazy to think that the genes we are born with could control our entire future. I think that it would be fun to do more research and readings on this topic.
Term used: genes

The interesting topic for was probably the Monozygotic twins! I just think that it is so interesting, how they can be blood related but not have grown up in the same enviroment, which usually is how people become who they are. For example I had a friend in high school and she was adopted. Towards the end of our senior year, her birth mother tried to get in contact with her, which she really didn't want just because of the memories she had when she was younger. (Which I still believe is why she acts the way she does.) I always had to tell her how the family that adopted her was her true family. They are the ones that made her who she is. She will always have the genes from her birth mother and father though, so in some way whether she likes it or not they will always be with her. So even though the Monozygotic twins did grow up in completely separate environments, they will always share those genes. So in my opinion thats why I believe they still had so much in common after being separated for such a long period of time.

Terms: Monzygotic Twins, genes

What interested me most out of this chapter was the section about Michelle Mack and her case of extreme neural plasticity. I think it was interesting how, even though she was born with no more than the right side of her brain, the brain actually took most of the duties of the left hemisphere. This led to her family not really even noticing that she had only half a brain because her ability to speak and move were only partially impaired. It's interesting how an organic tissue like the brain can take over the duties of another organic tissue in its absence. For me, that was the most interesting piece of this chapter as it really proved how complex our brains really are.

In chapter two I found the topic of action potentials to be the most interesting. Psychology is about the study of the mind and behavior. The reason we study the brain and its functions is to have a better understanding of why people react the way they do in a certain situation. The most surprising thing I learned was about the action potentials and how they work. I thought it was very interesting how neurons pass on information through the axon to other neurons until the action is complete. I found this memorable because the human has very complex cells, so I am curious to know how many neurons and axons a message pass through before an action is complete.

Terms: Axon and action potentials.

There are so many topics that i found interesting throughout this chapter. The one thing that got my attention was how adaptable the brain is based on the type of living situation changed as well as the step needed to survive in many other situations. The brain actually has lot to do with psychology and why we study the activity and different functions it presents. Psychology means the study of the mind. If I'm correct the mind is connected to the brain in that the brain is which hold things need for us to function; this is why one may act the way they do. Th most learned memorable and surprising this throughout this reading to me was the idea that the mono-zygotic twins were raised in two different household not knowing each other it still had commonality between them.
Terms used: Psychology, Mono-zygotic

Chapter 2 stated a lot of things that I did not know about before. The most interesting thing I read during reading this chapter was how males and females brains differ. I found that males brains are often larger than females. I thought that since men and woman are mostly alike because we are made of a lot of similar things their brains would be alike more way than none. The brain is very important part of psychology because psychology studies emotion and mental ideas which both have something to do or is related to the brain. The most memorable or most surprising thing I saw was the "Jim Twins.' This was memorable/surprising because it showed that even though these twins were separated they were still similar in their action and habit without being round each other.
Terms: Psychology

It’s amazing how much the brain can accomplish. The nutty little pink thing is constantly releasing chemicals, transmitting messages from neuron to neuron, translating the environment surrounding the body into sense, and keeping the rest of the body functions operating. With all the work that the brain puts into the body, it is amazing how it is mostly comprised of fat and water. Now the question arises on why understanding the functions of the brain is important for understanding psychology. Well, it is a simple answer. The brain is the object that creates the mind and gives a person the ability to ponder about psychology.
Psychology has to do a lot with why a person is motivated or behave a certain way. At first people had a great debate that the brain and mind worked separately, but now people agree that the mind is a result of a proper working brain. Different lobes and hemispheres of the brain control and manage different parts of the body and thinking. For instance the amygdala helps people connect appropriate emotions with certain objects or events. If the amygdala was taken out of someone’s head the person would be unable to establish what is okay to touch and what to run from. Different parts of the brain influences our behaviors; it is good to know what affects what to make a proper evaluation in why people do the things they do.
There is a strong connection between the brain and psychology. What is even more exciting about that is how the brain can formulate inquiries and questions while performing the basic tasks to survive. The hindbrain and midbrain are the parts of the brain that keep the body running. They send out messages through the use of axons and neurons to move muscles and many more tasks.
Terms: Midbrain, Hindbrain, Amygdala, axon, neuron

The most interesting topic within the text for me would have to be the section where it talked about how neurotransmitters and their influence our mental activity and behavior. I think it's crazy that drugs such as heroin and cocaine are chemically similar to naturally occurring neurotransmitters. It is even crazier that your brain can't tell the difference between the two. A drug can easily replace the neurotransmitter without anything seeming abnormal.
Psychology has everything to do with the brain, and you can easily figure this out just by reading the definition of Psychology. According to our “Psychology In Your Life” book, Psychology is the systematic, objective study of our mental activity and behavior. It also states that our mental activity is our senses, such as our smell, sight, hearing, taste, and touch. All of these senses are controlled with our brain, and we study our brain through Psychology. By using Psychology to study the brain, we can answer psychological questions about why people behave the way they do.
The most surprising and memorable thing that I read in this chapter was the twins who were raised in completely different environments, yet were still so much alike. From putting rubber bands on their wrists, to dipping their toast in coffee. It is so crazy to think that your genes play such a big part in who you are, and that it can effect little things, such as weird habits and personality traits. I have cousins that are twins and our family always gives them a hard time because whenever we are at a family gathering, they both wash their dishes and silverware before they use them. I always thought that it was a bit odd that they both felt the need to do this, but after learning about how genes can influence people, it makes more sense.
Psychological terms: neurotransmitters, mental activity, behavior, genes, psychology

After reading this chapter, I better realized how I feel pain and how much the body goes through just to function. Like when cells feel pain, I didn’t know there was a long process in which they sent messages through an axon, to the nervous system, then up to the brain. I also didn’t realize there was so much to cells, I thought they were simple pieces of the body. I learned that they had many small pieces, like the dendrites and synapse to do what they have to do. I also knew the brain was important but in a way I never knew that it everything was run through it. To me, the absolute most interesting part of this chapter was the section on the brain. It is amazing how the brain works such little parts of it, but still does so much. There also so much going on in one organ. I assumed the brain just did everything throughout it, not just a certain item to a certain part of the brain. It is cool to think that one portion of an already small piece of the body, can control your motor skills and balance like the cerebellum. Since the brain makes us who we are, it is wise to study it because psychology is the study of mental activity and behavior. The brain is the driving portion of how each individual thinks. By studying the brain, we can learn why people think what they think and in which part of the brain it takes place. One thing that surprises me is that when we are born, the genes from our parents determine the way we think. In a way I thought that we would be independent from them because we are separate. I knew that the genes we inherited make up our looks and physical attributes because you always hear, oh you look just like your mom or dad. To me, people don’t think like their parents, but because they spend so much time with their parents, they just think like them because what they take in is what the parents think but I guess not, that plays a small role in how we think.
Axon, nervous system, dendrites, synapse, cerebellum, genes

Although it was only a small concept in the chapter as a whole, I found myself quite drawn to the borderline, miraculous functions of the young developing brain. I find it fascinating how something that is seen as so fragile can be so malleable, and the idea that the brain is seen to basically restructure itself in order to recover from some sort of injury or defect, rewriting the connections of various neurons and whatnot is quite literally mind-boggling. Personally I wonder if we'll soon be able to emulate the positive effects of plasticity to help adults to cope with such ailments, but then again I suppose that's part of this discipline's purpose. I'd heard of Phineas Gage and his wayward frontal lobes from a Psychology class I took in highschool, but it's always refreshing to hear about his curious tale, and it's contribution to psychology as a whole. I hadn't heard of Michelle Mack, though her tale is no less interesting or relevant to understanding the brain.

The keywords are neurons, frontal lobes, and plasticity.

The most interesting thing for me was learning how much effort it takes for the body to function daily. I also really enjoyed the part about drugs such as cocaine being the same as neurotransmitters and how they affect our behavior.
Neurons was also a very entertaining topic for me, the entire process and structure is so amazing.
The brain has everything to do with psychology because our entire personality and how we react or perform everything in life cannot be done without our brains. they are the source of thought and action.

Psychological terms: Neurons, Neurotransmitters,Brain