Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior

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Unit 3Biological Bases of Behavior

• Mr. McCormick
• A.P. Psychology

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Essential Question

• How are human thought and behavior affected by
  the following
• The Nervous System
• The Endocrine System
• The Brain
• Genetics

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Unit 3-A (A)The Neuron

• Mr. McCormick
• A.P. Psychology

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Do-Now(Discussion)

• What is Biological Psychology?
• What parts of the body do Biological
  Psychologists primarily study?
• In understanding psychology, why do you think it
  is important to understand biological processes?

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Biological Psychology

• Biological Psychology
• A branch of Psychology concerned with the links
  between biology and behavior
• Biological Psychologists
• Behavioral Neuroscientists
• Neuropsychologists
• Behavior Geneticists
• Physiological Psychologists
• Biopsychologists

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Biological Psychology
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The Neuron

• Neuron
• Nerve cell
• Basic building block of the nervous system

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The Neuron

• Types of Neurons
• Sensory Neurons
• Carry incoming information from sensory receptors
  to the brain/spinal cord
• E.g. Perceiving something as hot
• Motor Neurons
• Carry outgoing information from the brain/spinal
  cord to the muscles/glands
• E.g. Clenching a fist
• Interneurons
• Located within the brain/spinal cord
• Communicate internally between sensory inputs and
  motor outputs
• E.g. Reflexes

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The Neuron

• Provide an example of information that sensory
  neurons may transmit.
• Provide an example of information that motor
  neurons may transmit.
• Provide an example of information that
  interneurons may transmit.

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Parts of the Neuron
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The Firing of a Neuron

• Neurons transmit messages when stimulated by our
  senses, or triggered by chemicals of other
  neurons
• Resting Potential
• Fluid interior of axon negatively charged ions
• Fluid exterior of axon membrane positively
  charged ions
• Threshold
• Level of stimulation required to trigger a neural
  impulse (action potential)
• Excitatory signals (accelerator) minus inhibitory
  signals (brakes) must reach minimum intensity
• Action Potential
• Neural impulse
• Depolarization occurs
• Brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
• All-or-None Response

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The Firing of a Neuron
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Review

• What is a neuron?
• Differentiate between the 3 types of neurons
• Sensory Neurons
• Motor Neurons
• Interneurons
• Discuss the functions of the following parts of
  the neuron
• Dendrites
• Axon
• Myelin Sheath
• Terminal Branches
• What causes neurons to fire?

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Homework

• Research Study 2 More Experience Bigger
  Brain (Pgs. 11-18)
• Unit 3-A FRQ
• Unit 3-A Quiz The Neuron