Brain Studies

Objectives

Name the major parts of the Central Nervous System and the Peripheral Nervous System and their main functions

Reading

Throughout this course we will be referring you to readings from the e-textbook "Introduction to Psychology, First Edition" by Charles Stangor, published in 2006 by Flat World Knowledge. You can purchase this book in print on online format from Flat World Publishers. Read section 3.3 of the Stangor e-textbook.

Media

Watch this MIT lecture on Brain II: Methods of Research to learn about some of the ways psychologists can study brain structure and functions.

Activity

Complete the following in your journal: What has been learned from the brains of cadavers? Find out how Einstein’s brain compared to that of ordinary people. How do we study brains in living people? Explain the basics of studying brain lesions, recording electrical activity in the brain, and neuroimaging. Who was Phineas Gage, what was his brain injury, and how did it affect his behavior? Find those answers.