1. The Psychological Answer to:
What makes us human?

2. The Cognitive Process
The cognitive process is a demonstration of the central ability humans possess that define us.
You have seen how humanity evolved physically as well as mentally. The brain sizes of our human ancestors gradually increased. Psychology will help to refine the definition of humanity by investigating what makes our brains and cognitive processes different and unique from other species.

3. Cerebral Cortex
This central core of the human brain is common to all Vertebrates and controls the basic functions of the body, such as breathing and eating.
The part that differentiates the human brain from the brains of other species is located in the cerebral cortex. This controls human senses, thoughts, language, and memory.

4. Major Structures of the Brain:
1) Hypothalamus: Responsible for regulating basic biological needs, hunger, thirst, temperature control.
2) Reticular Formation: A network of neurons related to sleep arousal and attention.
3) Cerebellum: Sensory Perception, motor output, and muscle movement.
4) Spinal Cord: Responsible for communication between brain and rest of body; involved with simple reflexes.
5) Cerebral Cortex: In charge of senses thoughts, memories.

5. 6) Thalamus: Rely centre for cortex; handles incoming and outgoing signals.
7) Medulla: Responsible for regulating largely unconscious functions such as breathing and circulation.

6. Cognitive Process
Human thinking and reasoning that makes us a unique species.
When humans begin the cognitive process, they try and rearrange information in new forms that will allow them to answer questions or solve a problem.
Humans are expected to go beyond simple acquisition of facts to applying those facts to different situations.
The basic cognitive ability allows humans to reason and solve problems. You think either through deductive or inductive reasoning.

7. Deductive Reasoning: All humans have brains, Rachel is a human, therefore Rachel has a brain!
Inductive Reasoning: Most women enjoy shopping, I am a woman, I enjoy sports.
Deductive reasoning is more accurate than inductive reasoning.

8. One of the major differences between humans and other species is the ability to reason!

9. Personality:
Personality comprises the characteristics and behaviours that make each individual unique.
Examples of different personalities. If provoked some people might respond in a violent physical manner, others might respond in a loud oral manner, and others may simply walk away.
Personality is a combination of both environment and genetics.
It may seem that an animal might have a personality, but this may be more instinct and conditioning.

10. Big Five Personality