Explain how principles that define the biological
level of analysis may be demonstrated in research
through theories and/or studies.
Luke Hinson, Kyle Touchton and Robbie Quinlan
Introduction
● This essay will give a summary of the main principles of Biological Level of
Analysis (BLA), along with research that support this level of analysis.
● BLA states that all cognitions, emotions, and behaviors have a physiological basis.
There are three key principles of BLA
● 1.) Emotions and behaviors are products of the anatomy and physiology of the
nervous and endocrine systems.
● 2.) Animal research may inform our understanding of human behavior.
● 3.) Patterns of behavior can be inherited; behavior is innate because it is
genetically based
(These principles are correct but they are not the ones that Mrs. Cook teaches)
First Study: Raine et al. (1997)
● The aim of the experiment was to test (using PET scans) if
murderers who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity
(NGRI) showed evidence of brain abnormalities.
● Results:
o Lack of inhibition of violent behavior
o Fearlessness
o Failure to learn consequences for violence
First Study: Raine et al. (1997)
● Principle represented:
o Emotions and behaviors are products of the anatomy and
physiology of the nervous and endocrine systems.
● Connection to Principle:
o This study supports the idea that there are biological
correlates of behavior because it was shown that there was
a correlation between the behavior of aggression and
physiology of the brain.
Second Study: Berthold (1849)
● The aim of this experiment was to test the effects of
testosterone in roosters.
● Results:
o Castrated roosters were less masculine, and less
aggressive.
o The roosters that reacquired testicles behaved like normal
roosters again
Second Study: Berthold (1849)
● Principle Represented:
o Animal research can provide insight into human behavior
● Connection to principle:
o Berthold’s study demonstrates the principle of the BLA
because inferences were made to humans from roosters
about the effect of testosterone on behavior to inform our
understanding of aggression (in humans).
Conclusion
● The studies above demonstrate the three key principles of
BLA
● These principles guide studies from Biological perspective
● Holistically, Cognitive, Socio-Cultural and Biological level of
analysis, are take into account to draw conclusions on
influences in human behavior.
Biological Level of Analysis
Examine one study related to localization of function of the
brain.
Power point by:
Sydney Taylor and brenna Sifford
#1: define localization of function
Localization of function: theory that certain areas of the brain
correspond to certain functions; in that specific areas of the brain
control different functions carried out by the brain.
#2: Introduce areas of the brain
Frontal lobe: thinking, problem-solving, emotions, personality
Motor Cortex: movement
Sensory Cortex: sensations
Wernicke's Area: interprets auditory code
Parietal Lobe: perception, making sense of the world
Angular Gyrus: visual into auditory code
Occipital Lobe: vision
Visual Cortex: receives written words as visual simulation
Cerebellum: processing sensory info., coordination/balance
Temporal Lobe: memory, understanding language
#2:continued
Brain Stem: responsible for automatic survival functions
Broca's Area: controls speech muscles
#3:discuss chosen study
Milner & Scoville (1957)
Milner & Scoville (1957)
Background:
● H.M fell off his bicycle at 9, resulting in brain damage.
● Epileptic seizures (uncontrollable jerks or momentary loss of
awareness) started at 10
● More severe seizures began happening at 16
● Drugs failed to control seizures
● At age 27 (1953) H.M had brain surgery to control his epilepsy and
to stop seizures.
● He had a bilateral medial temporal lobectomy.
o They removed tissue from the temporal lobe, including the
hippocampus.
● H.M. was studied extensively for 40 years.
Milner and Scoville (1957)
Results:
● After the operation, HM had anterograde amnesia (unable to create
new memories)
o Nothing could be stored in his long-term memory (LTM).
● Childhood memories were intact
● Memories immediately before the operation were lost.
● Working memory was intact.
● MRI Scan Results (1997)
o Brain damage was pervasive and included the hippocampus,
the amygdala, and other areas close to the hippocampus.
Conclusion:
● The hippocampus is needed for memories to be transferred to longterm memory.
#4: Conclusion
This is taken as evidence that the brain has multiple memory
systems that are supported by distinct brain functions.
Examine one evolutionary
explanation of behavior
Aliah Price and Angelica Wilson
Introduction
Define evolution: the changing in the inherited traits of a species over
time.
Explain the principle of evolution with behavior:
● Assumed that a predisposition is inherited through genetics
● Behavior helped in the past for human survival and reproduction
● Described as adaptive
Body
Introduce the topic to the reader or your paper
● Fessler et al 2006
Fessler et al. 2006
Aim:
● Disgust helps to compensate for the suppressed immune
system
Method:
● 496 healthy pregnant women ages 18-50 rank 32 disgusting
situations
● Asked questions to see if they were experiencing morning
sickness
Fessler et al. 2006
Results:
● Women in first trimester scored higher in disgust that in second and
third
● Morning sickness responses only applied to the situations involving
food
Conclusion:
● Natural selection helped human ancestors be pickier with food to
compensate
● Being picky with food can help avoid diseases passed to babies
/unborn offspring
Fessler et al. 2006
Connect the study to the question
● This study supports that disgust may be evolutionary in
how it might assist protection of disease amongst offspring
● Giving them a greater chance of surviving
● This study supports the aid in disgust in reproduction,
dubbing it an evolutionary behavior
EXAMINE ONE INTERACTION
BETWEEN COGNITION AND
PHYSIOLOGY ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR
MaKaila Wallace
Zaida Hall
Cognition/ Cognitive
Neuroscience
▪ Investigates how various brain areas are
involved in cognition. Example: how brain
damage affects memory.
▪ Recently attention has been focused on
how cognition and physiological
processes interact in people who
meditate. They are interested in how
mindfulness-based stress reduction
(MBSR) may effect brain functions;
specifically, they look at the effect of
meditation on attention, emotional
reactivity, and stress
Davidson et al., 2004
▪ Aim: to investigate whether meditation can change
brain activity
▪ Interaction: Brain waves and Compassion
▪ Procedure: Used 8 monks used to meditating and
control group of 10 students with one week of
meditation training. Based on principle that cognitive
activities such as meditation produce electrical activity
when they fire. Participants asked to meditate on
"unconditional compassion" to open the mind for
feelings of love and compassion for short periods
The control group participated in a training session,
and were asked to think of someone they cared about,
to let their mind be invaded by love and compassion.
Davidson et al., 2004
▪ Results:
▫ The EEG of monks showed greater activation,
organization, and coordination of gamma
waves. There was a positive correlation
between the hours of practice and the level of
gamma rays associated with bliss and
heightened sense of consciousness.
Examine one interaction between
cognition and physiology on
human behavior
▪ Results support idea that attention and
affective processes are skills that can be
trained, but more research is needed to
establish if changes in brain waves is caused
by hours of training, and not individual
differences before training