1. CEREBRAL LATERALITY: RIGHT BRAIN/LEFT BRAIN Dominant brain and dumb brain

2. SPLIT-BRAIN RESEARCH Split-brain surgery : when the corpus callosum is cut to reduce severity of epileptic seizures Has shown that right hemisphere controls the left side of the body and vice versa

3. SPLIT-BRAIN RESEARCH Roger Sperry and Michael Gazzaniga studies Showed language is housed in the left hemisphere Right hemisphere: visual-spatial tasks (colors, arranging, recognizing)

4. HEMISPHERIC SPECIALIZATION IN THE INTACT BRAIN Perceptual Asymmetries : left-right imbalances btwn cerebral hemispheres in the speed of visual or auditory processing Studied to show which hemisphere is more dominant in certain situations

5. HEMISPHERE SPECIALIZATION Better at: Verbal processing Language, speech, reading, writing Possible: handling emotions, links to schizophrenia Better at: Nonverbal processing Spatial, musical, and visual recognition Possible: expression of emotions, recognition of other’s emotions; classical conditioning, links to depression LEFT HEMISPHERERIGHT HEMISPHERE

6. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM Glands that secrete chemicals ( hormones ) into the bloodstream that help control body functioning 30 different hormones Hypothalamus controls the endocrine system

7. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM Hypothalamus connected to the… Pituitary gland : releases variety of hormones that fan out in the body, stimulating actions in other endocrine glands Pituitary gland is the “master gland” of the endocrine system

8. HEREDITY AND BEHAVIOR Behavioral genetics: interdisciplinary field that studies the influence of genetic factors on behavioral traits

9. CHROMOSOMES AND GENES Chromosomes: strands of DNA molecules that carry genetic info. 46 chromosomes (23 pairs, 1 chromosome from each parent) Each chromosome contains Genes : DNA segments that serve as the key functional units in hereditary transmission

10. CHROMOSOMES AND GENES Homozygous condition : two genes in specific pair are the same Heterozygous condition: 2 genes in a specific pair are different When heterozygous, the dominant gene is expressed

11. GENOTYPE VS. PHENOTYPE Genotype : a person’s genetic makeup Phenotype : ways in which a person’s genotype is manifested in observable characteristics

12. POLYGENIC INHERITANCE Polygenic traits : characteristics that are influenced by more than one pair of genes Most human characteristics are polygenic

13. RESEARCH METHODS FOR INVESTIGATING HEREDITARY INFLUENCE Family studies : examining blood relatives to see how much they resemble one another on a specific trait Shows traits that “run in the family” Only correlative

14. RESEARCH METHODS CONTINUED Twin studies : comparing the resemblance of identical and fraternal twins w/respect to a trait Identical (monozygotic) twins : one zygote, split Fraternal (dizygotic) twins: 2 eggs fertilized by different sperm cells, 2 separate zygotes

15. RESEARCH METHODS CONTINUED Adoption studies : examining resemblance btwn adopted children and both their biological and adoptive parents Usually done only with babies given up at birth

16. GENETIC MAPPING Def: process of determining the location and chemical sequence of specific genes on specific chromosomes Technology only allows for single gene mapping Most human traits are polygenic