Biological Bases of Human Behavior - Brain

Reticular Activating System

located in brainstem:

regulates arousal, attention, and consciousness. Helps maintain wakefulness

Frontal Lobe

located at the front of brain:

higher level cognitive functions like decision making, problem solving, planning, and personality expression

ex: resisting to taste a cake before it is ready

Corpus Callosum

connect left and right hemispheres of the brain; facilitating communication between the hemispheres

ex: playing piano

Temporal Lobe

Side of the brain:

process auditory information and language comprehension

Medulla

located in brainstem:

regulates automatic functions like heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure

Brainstem

oldest and most primitive part of the brain

Cerebral Cortex

outer layer of brain:

higher-level cognitive functions like thinking, perceiving, and decision making

Somatosensory Cortex

located in parietal lobe:

processes sensory information from body like touch, temperature, and pain

Parietal Lobes

Located at top of brain:

integrates sensory info such as touch and temperature to help with spatial awareness and attention

Occipital Lobe

Located at back of brain:

processes visual information

Motor Cortex

Located in frontal lobe:

voluntary movements of the body

Association Areas

Parts of cerebral cortex:

take info from all over the place, like what we hear and see, to help us understand the world around us

ex: primary motor cortex, primary visual cortex, and primary auditory area

Cerebellum

Located at the back of brain - below cerebral hemispheres

• coordinates movement, balance, and posture

ex: riding a bike; helps maintain balance on bike

Limbic System

located beneath the cerebral cortex:

• set of brain structure involved with emotions, memory, and motivation

  • hippocampus

  • thalamus

  • hypothalamus

  • amygdala

  • basal ganglia

Thalamus

relay stations in the brain

• relays sensory info: sight, sound, touch, and taste

ex: get tired throughout the day because of signals from the environment like decreasing light levels which are transmitted to thalamus

Hypothalamus

Located below thalamus

• regulated essential bodily functions: hunger, thirst, body temperature and sleep-wake cycle

ex: helps cool body down when exercising on a hot day

Pituitary Gland

small pea sized glad - located at base of brain:

• “master gland”

• regulates hormone production and secretion

Hippocampus

curved structure - located within the brains temporal lobe

• responsible for forming and consolidating new memories

Amygdala

small, almond shaped structure - deep in temporal lobes

• processes emotions like fear and aggression

ex: see a venomous snake; fear response triggered