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What are nerve cells called?
What are the main parts of a nerve cell
(neuron) IN ORDER?
TRUE OR FALSE: the axon terminals of one neuron touch the dendrites of the next neuron when transmitting a message/signal
What are the 4 lobes of the brain?

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• How many hemispheres are there in the brain?
What is the “little brain” really called?
What is the bundle of fibers called that connects the 2 hemispheres?

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 Learning Intention: Outline the 3 principles of the Biological Level of Analysis (LoA)
 Success Criteria: Students will demonstrate mastery of 3 principles and supporting research on upcoming evidence

 WHAT IS THE NATURE VS. NURTURE
DEBATE?
 Nature: human behavior is the result of biological factors
 Nurture: human behavior is the result of environmental factors

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1. Behavior can be innate because it is genetically based
2. Animal research can provide insight into human behavior.
3. There are biological correlates of behavior

 PRINCIPLE #1
 Behavior can be innate because it is genetically based

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TWIN STUDIES
 Why study twins?
 What are Monozygotic twins?
▪ two individuals developed from one fertilized oocyte (immature egg cell); they have identical genomes.
 Dizygotic twins?
▪ Twins developed from two separate oocytes fertilized at the same time.
Diathesis-Stress Model
 Genetic predisposition (diathesis) to develop a disorder that MAY OR MAY NOT be brought out by the environment (stress)

 Twins separated at birth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yTCS hemS_0&feature=related

C
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Researcher’s name
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P
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Name of the Research
This is the Aim of the research study
This is the Procedure of the study
This is the Findings of the study
This is the Conclusion of the study
Evaluation of the study

 PRINCIPLE #2
 Animal research can provide insight into human behavior.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMJJpbR x_O8&list=PLQWwMZATghnqDldldmmGaf_
XfWO-RLaT9&index=29

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Why study animals?
What do we use them to study?
What ethical problems can we face by studying animals?
 For more info, visit… http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/animals/using/exp eriments_1.shtml

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Animal experiments are widely used to develop new medicines and to test the safety of other products
Many experiments cause pain to the animals or reduce the quality of life in other ways
 What is ablation?
 What is lesioning?
 What do these two methods tell us?

PRO-ANIMAL TESTING
 Experimenting on animals is acceptable if (and only if):
 Suffering is minimized in all experiments
 Human benefits are gained which could not be obtained by using other methods
ANTI-ANIMAL TESTING
 Experimenting on animals is always unacceptable because:
 It causes suffering to animals
 The benefits to human beings are not proven
 Any benefits to human beings that animal testing does not provide could be produced in other ways

 The Hungry Rat
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-
DgV2vixSo

 Principle #3
 Human behavior is, to some extent, genetically based.

 PRINCIPLE #3
 There are biological correlations of behavior

 Implies that it should be possible to find a link between a specific biological factor (ex: hormone or neurotransmitter) and a specific behavior
 THIS IS THE AIM OF RESEARCHERS IN THIS LOA
 EX: Acetylcholine
 Too much: Parkinson’s
 Not enough: Alzheimer’s

Principle #3
Examples of
neurotransmitters &
hormones that are in charge of really important things:
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Acetylcholine
Dopamine
Serotonin
Growth Hormone
Leptin
Ghrelin
 Is lack of sleep making me fat?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uxezLHDECUo

Neurotransmitters
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Acetylcholine-acts on both PNS and CNS as a neuormodulator, it activates muscles on PNS/ CNS it plays role in attention & arousal.
Dopamine-helps control the brains reward and pleasure center.
Serotonin-Zen master of neurotransmitters. Low levels = anxiousness, irritability, depression, trouble sleeping. Antidepressants release serotonin.
Growth Hormone-stimulates cell production
Leptin-hormone made by fat cells that regulate the amount of fat stored in the body
Ghrelin-hunger hormone

 Minnesota Twin Study
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J6
AL9Ztuvk

 You are to identify a case that relates to one of the 3 principles of biological level of analysis. Create an index card on the case to guide you in explaining it to the class.
 Due next class