The Brain

Assessment Instructions

Write a 2–3-page assessment in which you respond to the following questions about biopsychology and the brain. Use the library to research the material and support your answers. The following questions and statements are the required headings for your assessment; do not incorporate the questions into the content of the answers.

1. What is the origin of biopsychology? Who were some of the first theorists?

2. The brain is complicated and sometimes difficult to understand. Describe the different regions of the brain and the associated functions.

3. In addition to brain functions, some believe there is aspect known as the mind. What is the mind-brain problem? Where do you fall in this debate (monist or dualist)? Justify your answer.

4. What are some methods that scientist use today to study the brain? What are the benefits of these methods?

5. What methods of research have been used to gain the knowledge we have today of the brain?

6. What are some of the ethical concerns in connection with research in biopsychology and the brain in particular?

Additional Requirements

· Written Communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.

· APA Formatting: Resources and citations should be formatted according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.

· Font and Font Size: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and double spaced. Use Microsoft Word to complete the assessment.

· Length: Write a minimum of 2 pages, excluding the title page and reference page (150–300 words per question).

Suggested Resources

The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.

Click the links provided below to view the following multimedia pieces:

· Brain Regions and Functions |

· BRAIN REGIONS AND FUNCTIONS

Motor Cortex

The frontal lobe is the area in front of the central sulcus and above the lateral fissure. The precentral gyrus extends the length of the central sulcus and is the location of the primary motor cortex, which controls voluntary (nonreflexive) movement.

Sensory Cortex

The parietal lobes are located superior to the lateral fissure and between the central sulcus and the occipital lobe. The primary sensory cortex, located on the postcentral gyrus, processes the skin senses (touch, warmth, cold, and pain), and the senses that inform us about body position and movement.

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus, a smaller structure just inferior to the thalamus, plays a major role in controlling emotion and motivated behaviors like eating, drinking and sexual activity. The hypothalamus also influences the body's hormonal environment through its control over the pituitary gland.

Thalamus

Deep within the brain the thalamus lies just below the lateral ventricles, where it receives information from all of the sensory systems except olfaction (smell) and relays it to the respective cortical projection areas.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a finger-sized cable of neurons that carries commands from the brain to the muscles and organs, and sensory information into the brain.

Cerebellum

The cerebellum is the second most distinctive appearing brain structure. The most obvious function is in refining movements initiated by the motor cortex by controlling their speed, intensity and direction. It also plays a role in motor learning, and research implicates it in other cognitive processes and in emotion.

Visual Cortex

The occipital lobes are the location of the visual cortex, which is where the visual information is processed. The visual cortex contains a map of visual space because adjacent receptors in the back of the eye send neurons to adjacent cells in the visual cortex.

· HOW LESS

Library Resources

· Lask, B., & Frampton, I. (Eds.). (2011). Eating disorders and the brain . Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

· Latzer, Y., Merrick, J., & Stein, D. (Eds.). Understanding eating disorders: Integrating culture, psychology and biology . Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

· Fox, J., & Goss, K. (Eds.). (2012). Eating and its disorders . Hoboken, NJ: Wiley

University library guide has been created specifically for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the resources in the PSYC-FP4310 – Biological Psychology Library Guide to help direct your research.

Bookstore Resources

The resources listed below are relevant to the topics and assessments in this course and are not required. Garrett, B. (2015). Brain & behavior: An introduction to biological psychology (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

· Chapter 1, "What is Biopsychology," the author discusses the origins of biopsychology and genetic influence on behavior.

· Chapter 2, "Communication Within the Nervous System," the author explains how neurons communicate with each other.

· Chapter 3, "The Functions of the Nervous System," covers the major structures of the nervous system and some of their functions.

· Chapter 4, "The Methods and Ethics of Research," explores why biopsychology creates ethical concerns.