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Occipital Lobe Functions
Visual Cortex Disorders Blindsight Alexia
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Gender Differences
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FIGURE 3.43 Male versus Female Brains
A considerable body of evidence indicates that female brains are more bilaterally organized for language. For example, researchers studied men and women listening to someone reading aloud. As these fMRI images show, (a) the men listened with one side of their brains, whereas (b) the women tended to listen with both sides.
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Complex Problem-solving:
Size: Males tend to have larger brains Language: Females show bilateral organization for language Males show unilateral ( left side) Complex Problem-solving: females use language-related brain regions males use spatial-related brain regions (Haier et al., 2005)
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Neuroplasticity
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How Does the Brain Change?
Plasticity: a property of the brain that allows it to change as a result of experience, drugs, or injury Neurogenesis: New neurons are produced in some brain regions (e.g., the hippocampus)
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Why are children often like parents?
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Taxi Drivers
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Brain Changes with Use London Taxi Drivers: Larger hippocampi
Only found in part associated with spatial memory Not found in London bus drivers
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Cortical Remapping with Non-Use
Phantom limb: Reflects cortical remapping in Somatosensory cortex
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Recovery after Major Damage
Jodie Cameron
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Radical Hemispherectomy
surgical removal of an entire cerebral hemisphere remaining hemisphere takes on functions of missing one Depends on age of surgery Jodie Miler: lost right hemisphere in In 2008, graduated high school entered college.
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Like father, like daughter: Elizabeth Harman joins father Gil on the philosophy faculty
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Like father, like sons
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John & Ravi Coltrane John & Ravi Coltrane
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Nature vs Nurture Debate
Parents also pass on genes to children What is the relative importance of genes vs. upbringing in behavior?
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Behavioral Genetics Method that allows us to separate genetic vs. environmental influences on a particular behavioral trait People are born like “undeveloped photographs”: The image has been captured, but the way it eventually appears depends on the development process
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Switched at birth, Reunited as Adults
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Genotype and Phenotype
Genotype: an organism’s genetic makeup; never changes Phenotype: an organism’s observable physical characteristics or behavioral traits; always changing Genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) both influence phenotype
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Behavioral Trait Stable property of a person that can be measured by standard psychological tests IQ Aggression Graduation Rate Criminal Convictions Happiness Extroversion
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Turkheimer’s 3 Laws of Behavior Genetics
First Law. All human behavioral traits are heritable. Second Law. Similarities are influenced more by genes than family upbringing Third Law. Differences are due to non-shared environment outside home
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First Law All human behavioral traits are heritable.
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FIGURE 3.35b Twins (b) Identical twins result when one fertilized egg splits in two. Identical twins Gerald Levey and Mark Newman, participants in Dr. Bouchard’s study, were separated at birth. Reunited at age 31, they discovered they were both firefighters and had similar personality traits. What other factors might account for the similarities between twins raised apart?
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FIGURE 3.35a Twins (a) Fraternal twins, such as this pair pictured during their 13th birthday party, result when two separate eggs are fertilized at the same time.
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Basic Twin Studies Design
Compare similarities between MZ (identical) and DZ (fraternal) twins Same environment; different genetics Greater similarity of MZ twins is likely due to genetic influence
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MZ twins more alike
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MZ more alike than DZ Twins in all Traits
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Second Law Similarities are influenced more by genes than family upbringing (nature)
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MZ Twins Raised Apart Does being raised in different environments , by different parents make them more different than MZ twins raised together?
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“Jim” Twins
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Jim Lewis and Jim Springer
grew up in different families in different states Both had childhood dogs named Toy. Both had been nail biters and fretful sleepers. Both had migraines. Both had married first wives names Linda, second wives named Betty; Lewis named his first son James Allen, Springer named his James Alan. For years, they both had taken holidays on the same Florida beach. They both drank Miller Lite, smoked Salem cigarettes, loved stock car racing, disliked baseball, left regular love notes to their wives, made doll furniture in their basements, and had added circular white benches around the trees in their backyards. Their IQs, habits, facial expressions, brain waves, heartbeats, and handwriting were nearly identical. The Jim twins lived apart but died on the same day, from the same illness."
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Effect of Genes Larger than Family
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Switched at birth, Reunited as Adults
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The four young men in Bogotá had each been raised as a fraternal twin, an identity in and of itself. Now, they realized, they were each an identical twin, part of a matched pair. Even before the four brothers met, each was already, unknowingly, aligning himself with the sibling with whom he shared a womb. Carlos and Wilber were cautious, convinced that no one should pursue the matter any further — who knew what trouble these people could bring. William and Jorge, however, were open to the possibility of an encounter.
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All four started comparing notes, quizzing one another, finding out which essential qualities the identical twins shared. Who were the crybabies of the family? Carlos and Wilber! Who had sweet temperaments? Jorge and William! Who were more organized? Carlos and Wilber! Who were the girl- chasers? Carlos and Wilber! Who were the strongest? Jorge and William!
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Adoption Studies Robert Plomin: Colorado Adoption Project
Plomin followed 245 pregnant women who planned to give up children for adoption. Control group of 245 parents and biological children
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Results children resemble biological, but not adopted parents
Adopted children no more similar to adopted parents than to any two adults taken at random off the street.
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Low Parent-Adoptive Child Correlations
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Third Law Differences are due to non-shared environment outside home ( nurture)
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Peers
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Unique Life Experiences
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while Jorge was seeing sameness with every glance he stole at William, Carlos was seeking differences between him and his country double. ‘‘Look at our hands,’’ Carlos said. ‘‘They’re not the same.’’ Wilber’s were bigger, more swollen, marked with scars from countless quarrels with the knives of the butcher shop and the machetes he used in the fields growing up. Carlos, by contrast, frequently got manicures; his nails, as is not uncommon among male professionals in Colombia, were covered in clear gloss.
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Summary Genes make siblings similar
Non-shared environment makes siblings different: Birth order Peers Unique experiences- accidents, illness
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Gene/Environment Interactions
Caspi, et al ( 2002)
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Caspi Study: Gene/Environment Interaction
Methods: Collected info about more than 1,000 New Zealanders from birth until adulthood Measured: Mistreatment by parents Type of MAO gene Criminal record at age 26
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Results
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Gene- Environment Interaction
MAO Gene: predisposition to anti-social behavior as adult Early Life Mistreatment: predisposition to anti- social behavior as adult Both together: development of anti-social behavior
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Neurons Neurons send, receive and process electrical and chemical signals
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Neurons Are Specialized for Communication
Four basic phases: Reception: Chemical signals are received from neighboring neurons (Dendrites) Integration: Incoming signals are assessed (Cell Body) Transmission: Electrical signals conducted to end of neuron (Axon) Output: Chemical message sent to other neurons (Terminal Button)
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