PSY 201 InQuizitive Ch 3.2
A split-brain patient is shown a picture of a cup in his left visual field. What behaviors can we expect?
He can select the cup from among several objects with his left hand. He will verbally report seeing nothing.
What brain structure allows this water polo player to coordinate his swimming and throwing, as well as planning his next move?
Cerebellum: important for proper motor function, and damage to its different parts produces very different effects. For example, damage to the little nodes at the very bottom causes head tilt, balance problems, and a loss of smooth compensation of eye position for head movement.
Hypothalamus
Controls regulatory systems and motivation
Parasympathetic division
Division of the nervous system prepares the body for a resting state.
Sympathetic division
Division of the nervous system prepares the body for action. EX: flight-or-fight
Amygdala
Emotion EX: Brian can tell by the look on the lost child's face that she is frightened.
A man and a woman in their sixties both suffer strokes of comparable severity. Who is likely to have less impairment in language use?
Female
Ovaries
Female glands
Pituitary
Gland that governs hormone release
Gonads
Glands that govern male and female sexual behaviors
If a person suffers from a traumatic brain injury in the prefrontal cortex, similar to that of Phineas Gage, what changes might occur?
His personality would change. He would be more impulsive. He would be difficult to get along with.
Estrogen
Hormone with larger quantities in females
Testosterone
Hormone with larger quantities in males
What type of information do the parietal lobes process?
How soft a pillow is. How tight your shoes are. EX: Touch
On hot summer days, Devon relies on what brain structure to monitor his thirst and the need to drink more water?
Hypothalamus
Which brain structure is key in integrating communication between the central nervous system and the endocrine system?
Hypothalamus
Phantom limb pain
Intense sensation that the amputated body part still exists.
Female brains process information...
Language processed in both brain hemispheres. Use more language-related brain regions to solve complex problems.
Male brains process information...
Language processed in left hemispheres. Use more spatial-related brain regions to solve complex problems.
Testes
Male glands
Hippocampus
Memory EX: Susan remembers the names of the people she met at the party.
How is the primary somatosensory cortex organized?
More cortex space is given to sensitive areas. Right side of the body is in the left hemisphere. Left side of the body is in the right hemisphere. Nearby body parts are grouped together.
Basal ganglia
Movement, reward EX: Catherine is able to plan and perform her balance beam routine.
Jason is in middle school and below normal height for his age. What might a doctor check?
Pituitary gland, levels of growth hormones
Hypothalamus
Regulates body function EX: Ian is motivated to go out to eat because he is hungry. EX: Thirst, hunger, agression, lust
How do connections in the brain become strengthened?
Repeated behaviors, repeated experiences, simultaneous firing of neurons
Thalamus
Sensory gateway EX: Sense of smell
Alicia is being tickled by her older sister. Which divisions of the nervous system are receiving the signals from her sister's fingers?
Somatic, peripheral
Broca linked a loss of function in his patients to lesioned areas in the left hemisphere of their brains. What is the function of Broca's area?
Speaking
When Andrew proposes to Heidi, her heartbeat quickens, her pupils dilate, and her breath quickens as she answers, "Yes!" What parts of the nervous system are activating these responses?
Sympathetic, Autonomic, Peripheral
Jeanne is watching the sunset over the ocean, listening to the evening bird calls and feeling a cool breeze on her face. Which brain structure will organize and relay all this sensory information to the cortex?
Thalamus
Given the organization of the primary somatosensory cortex, why does a slap on the face hurt more than a slap on the back?
The cortex has more space devoted to the face than to the back. Sensitive areas on the body take up more space in the cortex.
Cerebral cortex
Thoughts, detailed perceptions, and complex behaviors EX: Sheila makes arrangements for her vacation next month.
Endocrine system
Which system of the body communicates using hormones?
