Overview & Goals for Ch 3
Overview of Ch 3: Biopsychology
Understanding the various biological mechanisms that influence human behavior is crucial to understanding the whole picture of our (human) functioning. Some would even say that "everything psychological is simultaneously biological". Genetics (our genetic makeup including DNA and other components) also influences our behaviors and mental processes. By reading Ch. 3, you'll learn more about how the nervous system, genetics and the endocrine (hormonal) systems all interact and influence our functioning.
After successfully completing this learning module, students will be able to:
Explain the basic principles of the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Describe the differences between genotype and phenotype.
Discuss how gene-environment interactions are critical for expression of physical and psychological characteristics.
Identify the basic parts of a neuron.
Describe how neurons communicate with each other.
Explain how drugs act as agonists or antagonists for a given neurotransmitter system.
Describe the difference between the central and peripheral nervous systems. Explain the difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems. Differentiate between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system.
Explain the functions of the spinal cord & identify the hemispheres and lobes of the brain.
Describe the types of techniques available to clinicians and researchers to image or scan the brain.
Identify the major glands of the endocrine system & identify the hormones secreted by each gland.
To meet the learning outcomes in this module, students are expected to complete the following:
"Overview & Goals for Ch. 3" by Pam Costa and Steffi Schrepfer, Tacoma Community College Links to an external site., is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0 Links to an external site.