THE BRAIN

The Brain in sum

The Brain in SumPrefrontal Cortex:

Dopamine-sensitive neuronsPlanning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making and moderating social behavior

Hippocampus:Consolidation of short-term to long-term memory

Hypothalamus:The hypothalamus is responsible for certain metabolic processes and other autonomic nervous system processes Stimulates or inhibits the secretion of pituitary hormones

PSYCHOLOGY

“Old” Psychological Theories

Sigmund Freud founded the discipline of psychoanalysis and helped establish the field of verbal psychotherapy The Freudian theory: The id - motivations and instinctual urges are hidden in the unconscious mind The super-ego (our conscience) - upholds the moral ideals that we assume to be “perfection”The ego (rational/conscious mind) tries to maintain a balance between these two

“Old” Psychological Theories

“Old” Psychological Theories

Present day support for this theory

Unconscious Motivation: Neuronal pathway connecting perceptual information with “fear receptors” but which bypasses hippocampus Repression of Memories in patients Damage to the frontal limbic region causes Korsakoff’s psychosis where cognitive

However…Criticisms of the the Freudian theory:

“Pseudo-science”: Little or no scientific evidence (based on patient observations) We should not be trying to force-fit neurobiological data into outdated psychoanalytical theories The ego-id struggle is unlikely to control brain chemistry Need for more biologically based models of dreams, mental illness and normal conscious experience

Criminal PsychologyProfiling of criminals based on trend and patterns in behaviour of criminals in the past (esp. serial killers) Profile is usually based on:

Victimology Type of crime/location “Trigger” that could have led to the killings

Memory Process by which information is:

Encoded Stored Retrieved

Short-term memory vs. Long-memory (The working memory)

Atkinson-Shiffrin model

Hippocampus

Pre-frontal Cortex

Baddeley and Hitch Model

Torrance Test of Creative Thinking

Right Brain vs. Left Brain

Left brain vs Right brainComplex relationshipsCorpus Callosum

Often cut to cure seizuresProvides left/right informationSpeech in left, identification of visual concepts in rightLeft responsible for explanative power, right for perception of self

Sleep and DreamsMorpheus and Hypnos—Greek Gods of Dreams and SleepSleep: found in almost all organisms, sharks sleepshalf a brain at a timeDreams: Most mammals + some bird/reptile

Sleep

2 main components- Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM)REM longer and more frequent closer to wakingRecovery functionsNREM have diffbrain waves

DreamsNo one knows why! :OFrued-Unconscious desiresProposed cognitive purposes: transfers memory from short term to long term

Also to clear “junk” memory

Testing and selecting schemasEvolutionary RelicsDamages to parietal lobe stops dreams

Interpersonal Relationships

Psychology of friendship:Beginnings: CommonalitiesGrowth: Reciprocal self-disclosure

Intimacy (but not too much)Positive reinforcements

Social-Identity SupportFriendships benefits when the we identify with the friend our primary social role and the friend supports itSelf centered?

Interpersonal Relationships

Psychology of LoveTriangle theory of love-Intimacy, commitment, passion.Opposites attract FALSELove is not just a feeling, it is also a commitment/decision

Interpersonal Relationships

Neurological basis of Love3 Stages of Love corresponds to 3 classes of neurotransmittersLust, Attraction and AttachmentTestosterone/estrogen Dopamine/norepinephrine/serotonin, (happiness and addiction)Oxytocin(bonding)

Evil GenePossibility of a genetic condition that contributes to violence/psychopathy?Callous-Unemotional Children: “lack of affect, remorse or empathy”Unable to feel emotions in others cause of extreme violence

Evil GeneMirror Neurons: Neurons that fire when we perform OR see others perform an action.

Theorized to play a part in empathy

Anterior cingulate cortex hypothesized to be involved in empathyLack of an “empathy molecule”/receptors?

Oxytocin (love and boding), serotonin and dopamine (feel good molecules)?

(Interesting) Mental Illness

Korsakoffs SyndromeInability to form long term memory amongst othersNeuron loss via malnutrition/alcoholism

ProsopagnosiaInability to recognize faces Fusiform Face area

Cotard DelusionPatient believes that he is deadDissociation between recognition and emotion

Mental IllnessSchizophrenia

Disorganised, distracted thinking, disturbed perceptions, inappropriate emotionsDopamine, thalamus, amygdala overactivity and shrinking cerebal tissue Strongly genetic correlation, impairments in fetal brain development (can be detected early)

Antisocial Personality DisorderCharacterized by high intelligence and high apathy even to close ones, heightened aggressionReduced frontal lobes activityReduced Adrenaline secretion