BBB - Biological Bases of Behavior Module Overview

Module Overview

Introduction

Colorful brain 3-D scan illustrating the brain lobes.

If you're new to psychology, you may be surprised at how similar the study overlaps with hard sciences such as biology and anatomy. Understanding the biology of the human body can be an intimidating feat but is necessary for mastering the essence of human behavior. As mentioned, everything psychological is simultaneously biological. Starting with the body's most basic building block, the neuron provides insight into the complexity of the system. As communication occurs between two or more parties, so does communication in the body. Various systems, such as the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, and the endocrine system all support our body's ability to communicate. However, the ultimate control center for the body's functioning is the human brain. In relation to the body's communication structures, the brain is an evolutionary structure. You are going to be fascinated to discover how something small (about the size of your two fists put together) does so much!

Consciousness is defined as our awareness of ourselves and our environment. You know where you are at this moment and what you are doing. But doesn't your mind wander sometimes? Don't fret! It is normal! Altered states of consciousness include daydreaming, as well as sleeping, meditating, hypnosis, and drug-induced hallucinating. Research in this area grew from the behaviorist school when cognitivism and neuroscience began to thrive. Therefore, many of the explanations of altered states of consciousness reflect this change. Let's begin with something we all need more of...SLEEP!!  

 

Essential Questions

  • How can biology influence our behavior and mental processes?
  • What happens when a particular neurotransmitter is absent from the body?
  • How do biological and environmental factors interact to influence our behaviors and mental processes?

AP psychology course and exam description, effective fall 2020. (n.d.). https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-psychology-course-and-exam-description.pdf

Key Terms

Look over your key terms for this module, linked here. Links to an external site.

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