Biopsychology 8E: John P.J. Pinel

BIOPSYCHOLOGY 8e
John P.J. Pinel
Copyright © Pearson Education 2011

Topics
2.1 Thinking about the Biology of

Behavior: From Dichotomies to
Interactions
2.2 Human Evolution
2.3 Fundamental Genetics
2.4 Behavioral Development: Interaction

of Genetic Factors and Experience
2.5 Genetics of Human Psychological

Differences
Thinking about the Biology of Behavior:
From Dichotomies to Relations and Interactions
There is a tendency to think

in simple dichotomies
when explaining behavior:
• Is it physiological or
psychological?
• Is it inherited or is it
learned?
Both questions are

common, yet misguided
Copyright ©
Pearson Education 2011
Cartesian Dualism
Universe Human Mind
Cartesian Dualism: Cartesian Dualism: Mind and

universe consists of two brain viewed as separate
elements: physical matter entities
and human mind (soul, self,
or spirit)
Copyright ©
Is It Inherited or Is It Learned?
Watson, a behaviorist,
believed that all behavior
was the product of learning
(nurture) Nature Versus
Nurture
Ethology, the study of

animal behavior in the wild,
focuses on instinctive
(nature) behaviors
Copyright ©
Problems of Traditional Dichotomies: Mind-Brain
Dualism
Problem Number 1 Problem Number 2
Brain damage has an impact Chimps show psychological

on psychological (i.e., “human”) abilities.
functioning
Example: Oliver Sacks’s case Example: Gallup’s research on

study of a man with chimp self-awareness
asomatognosia
Chimps spontaneously groom
Asomatognosia typically themselves and touch red
involves damage to the mark on their own faces seen
right parietal lobe. in mirror.
Copyright ©
Problems of Traditional Dichotomies: Nature-or-Nurture
Many factors have an impact on

behavior other than genetics
(nature) or learning (nurture)
“Nurture” now encompasses

learning and environment
A schematic illustration
of the way in which many
biopsychologists think
about the biology of
behavior.
Copyright ©
Human Evolution: Evidence for Evolution
1 Fossil evidence of evolution
Structural similarities among living

2 species suggesting common ancestors
3 Impact of selective breeding
Direct observation of evolution

4 in progress: Grant (1991)
Copyright ©
Four kinds of
evidence
supporting the
theory that species
evolve.
Copyright ©
Evolution and Behavior
Just as physical features can

contribute to “fitness,” so do
behaviors
Some are obvious—the ability to

find food, avoid predation, etc.
Some are less obvious—

social dominance and
courtship displays
Copyright ©
Course of Human Evolution
• Evolution of vertebrates
• Chordates have dorsal nerve cords
• Vertebrates are chordates with spinal bones
• Evolution of amphibians
• Bony fishes leave the water briefly
• Advantages include fresh water and new food
sources
Copyright ©
Course of Human Evolution
Evolution of reptiles
• Lay shell-covered eggs;
covered by dry scales
• Can live far from water
Evolution of mammals KINGDOM Animal

• Develop mammary glands to PHYLUM Chordate
nurture young
• Eventually no longer lay eggs: CLASS Mammal
raise young in mother’s body
• Humans emerge from the order ORDER Primate
primates
FAMILY Hominid
Emergence of humankind
GENUS Homo
• Humans belong to family
hominids, genus Homo SPECIES Sapiens
• First homo species emerged from
Australopethicus 2 million years
ago
• Homo sapiens emerged 200,000
years ago
Copyright ©
Thinking About Human Evolution
Similarities
among
species do not
necessarily mean that
the species have
Not all existing common origins Evolution
adaptive does not
characteristics evolved proceed in a
to perform their single line
current function
Thinking About
Not all existing Human Evolution Humans have
behaviors or only been around
structures for a brief period
are adaptive of time
Evolution does
not necessarily Fewer than 1%
result in perfect of all known
design species are still
in existence
Copyright ©
Thinking about Human Evolution
Homologous structures – similar

structures due to a common
evolutionary origin
Analogous structures – similar
structures without a common origin
Convergent evolution – the
evolution of similar solutions to the
same environmental demands by
unrelated species
Copyright ©
Evolution of the Human Brain
• There is no relationship
between brain size and
intelligence
• Brain size is generally

correlated with body size
• More informative to look

at relative size of
different brain regions
Copyright ©
The brains of
animals of
different
evolutionary
ages. Cerebrums
are shown in
yellow;
brainstems are
shown in purple.
Copyright ©
Evolution of the Human Brain
• The human brain has

increased in size during
evolution
• Most of the increase in size

has occurred in the cerebrum
• Increased convolutions in the

cerebrum serve to increase
the volume of the cerebral
cortex
Copyright ©
Evolutionary Psychology: Mate Bonding
Most species
mate
promiscuously Humans
generally May be adaptive in
form allowing more
monogamous attention to
bonds survival
Most mammals of children
form
polygynous
mating bonds
Copyright ©
Thinking about Evolutionary Psychology
Current aspects of mate

bonding in humans
appear to be predicted by
evolutionary theory
Examples:
• Men tend to value indications of
fertility
• Women tend to value power and
earning capacity
• Physical attractiveness predicts
which women bond with men of high
status
• Mate attraction strategies: for
women, physical attraction; for men,
displaying power and resources
• Men are more likely than women to
commit adultery
Copyright ©
Fundamental Genetics Slender
thread inside a
chromosome
cell’s nucleus that
carries genes
Our
genotype
genetic
makeup
Genetic
material,
gene
composed
of DNA
Our
phenotype
observable
traits
Gene that is
expressed
recessive only
in the absence
of agene
dominant
gene
Gene that
dominant
masks other
gene
genes’ effects Copyright ©
Fundamental Genetics
• Dichotomous traits – occur in

one form or the other, never in
combination
• True-breeding lines – interbred

members always produce
offspring with the same trait
• Mendel studied dichotomous

traits in true-breeding lines of
pea plants
Copyright ©
Mendel’s Experiments
Phenotype – observable traits

Genotype – traits present in the genes
Homozygous – 2 identical alleles (BB, ww)

Heterozygous – 2 different alleles (Bw)
Adapted from Iacono & Koenig, 1983.
Copyright ©
Chromosomes: Reproduction and Recombination
• Genes are located on

chromosomes in the nucleus of
each cell
• Humans have 23 pairs of

chromosomes, with an allele on
each chromosome
• Meiosis – a process of cell division

that yields cells with just 23
chromosomes
Copyright ©
Chromosomes: Reproduction and
Recombination
When egg
and sperm
Gametes, combine to form
Mitosis
egg cells and – a form of cell
a fertilized egg
division that yields daughter
sperm cells, (zygote), 23
are produced
cells that have 23 pairs of of
pairs
by meiosis
chromosomes chromosomes
are again
present
Copyright ©
Chromosomes: Structure and Replication
Chromosomes are DNA

molecules: double strands of
nucleotide bases wrapped
around each other
• A nucleotide on strand 1
always pairs with a particular
nucleotide on strand 2
• To replicate, the strands
unwind; each nucleotide
attracts its complementary
base, making two DNA
molecules identical to the
original
Copyright ©
Sex Chromosomes and Sex-Linked Traits
Sex chromosomes, X and Y,

look different and carry
different genes
• Female = XX
• Male = XY
Sex-linked traits –
influenced by genes on the
sex chromosomes
Dominant traits on the X

chromosome will be seen
more commonly in females,
recessive ones in males
Copyright ©
Genetic Code and Gene Expression
Mechanism of gene expression

• Strand of DNA unravels
• Messenger RNA (mRNA)
synthesized from DNA
(transcription)
• mRNA leaves nucleus and
attaches to ribosome
in the cell’s cytoplasm
• Ribosome synthesizes protein
according to 3-base sequences
(codons) of mRNA (translation)
Copyright ©
Genetic Code and Gene Expression
• Enhancers: stretches of DNA that

determine whether particular
structural genes initiate the
synthesis of proteins and at what
rate
• Transcription factors: proteins that

bind to DNA and influence the
extent to which genes are expressed
• Epigenetics: the pattern of actual

gene expression, vs. the genes
possessed, is most important
Copyright ©
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondria
have their own DNA
Mitochondrial
DNA Mitochondria are
the energy-generating Mitochondria
structures found were once
in the cytoplasm of believed to come
all cells from mother, but
paternal
mitochondrial DNA
Constant rate of has been found in
mitochondrial DNA mutation one
Mitochondrial DNA Has been used as evolutionary individual
may be responsible clock to determine,
for some for instance, that
disorders hominids
evolved in Africa and
spread around the world
Copyright ©
Modern Genetics
• Human genome project mapped the 3

billion base sequences of human DNA,
as well as those of some other species
• Humans were found to have only
about 25 thousand genes, leading to
new discoveries
• microRNA appears to have an
expanded role in gene expression,
beyond carrying information from the
nucleus
• Some genes produce more than one
protein
• Evidence for expression of only one
allele of a gene (monoallelic
expression) has accumulated in the
past few years
Copyright ©
Behavioral Development: Interaction of
Genetic Factors and Experience
Three influential studies:

1. Selective breeding
of “maze-bright”
and “maze-dull”
rats
2. Phenylketonuria: a
single-gene
metabolic disorder
3. Development of
birdsong
Copyright ©
Behavioral Development
Maze-dull rats did not

make significantly
more errors than
maze-bright rats when
both groups were
reared in an enriched
environment.
(Adapted from Cooper
& Zubek, 1958.)
Copyright ©
Phenylketonura: A Single-Gene
Metabolic Disorder
• Due to single mutant recessive
gene
• Special diet during critical

period of development lessens
mental retardation
• An example of interaction of
genetics and environment
Copyright ©
Development of Birdsong
• Young males must hear their
species’ songs during critical
period, or they develop abnormal
songs
• Young male canaries have left-side
neurological dominance for song,
like human left dominance for
speech
• Adult male canaries grow new
neurons each spring: an early
discovery of adult neurogenesis
Copyright ©
Genetics of Human Psychological Differences
• Minnesota study of
twins reared apart showed that
identical twins more similar than
fraternal twins on all
psychological dimensions
• Heritability estimates
• Multiplier effect – genetically
similar individuals seek out
similar environments
• Turkheimer et al. (2003) –
heritability of IQ was near 0 in
impoverished twins and near 1
(maximum) in affluent twins
Copyright ©
Watch: The Complexity of Humans:
Phil Zimbardo
Watch: Dating and Finding a Mate (Ralf)
Watch: Dating and Finding a Mate

(Stephanie)
Note: To view the MyPsychLab assets, please make sure you are connected to the
internet and have a browser opened and logged into www.mypsychlab.com.
Copyright ©
Acknowledgments
Slide Image Description Image Source
template lightning ©istockphoto.com/Soubrette
template background texture ©istockphoto.com/Hedda Gjerpen
ch02 image twin boys ©istockphoto.com/RichardUpshur
4, 15, 17 brain ©istockphoto.com/Stephen Kirklys
6 Figure 2.1 Pinel 8e, p. 22
6 chimpanzee smiling ©istockphoto.com/Eric Isselée
10 Friends talking ©istockphoto.com/Chris Schmidt
12 Adapted from Figure 2.9 Pinel 8e, p. 30
14, 34 book ©istockphoto.com/Carmen Martínez Banús

19 person thinking ©istockphoto.com/akurtz
20, 21, 23, 27, 30, 33 DNA ©istockphoto.com/Mark Evans
26 woman observing & taking notes ©istockphoto.com/Claudio Arnese
31 text messaging ©iStockphoto.com/Freeze Frame Studio, Inc.

36 laptop ©istockphoto.com/CostinT
36 table and wall ©istockphoto.com/David Clark
Copyright ©

Biopsychology 8E: John P.J. Pinel

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Biopsychology 8E: John P.J. Pinel

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

BIOPSYCHOLOGY 8e

John P.J. Pinel

Copyright © Pearson Education 2011

2.1 Thinking about the Biology of

2.2 Human Evolution

2.3 Fundamental Genetics

2.4 Behavioral Development: Interaction

2.5 Genetics of Human Psychological

There is a tendency to think

Both questions are

Universe Human Mind

Cartesian Dualism: Cartesian Dualism: Mind and

Ethology, the study of

Problem Number 1 Problem Number 2

Brain damage has an impact Chimps show psychological

Example: Oliver Sacks’s case Example: Gallup’s research on

Many factors have an impact on

“Nurture” now encompasses

1 Fossil evidence of evolution

Structural similarities among living

3 Impact of selective breeding

Direct observation of evolution

Just as physical features can

Some are obvious—the ability to

Some are less obvious—

Evolution of mammals KINGDOM Animal

Homologous structures – similar

• Brain size is generally

• More informative to look

• The human brain has

• Most of the increase in size

• Increased convolutions in the

Current aspects of mate

• Dichotomous traits – occur in

• True-breeding lines – interbred

• Mendel studied dichotomous

Phenotype – observable traits

Homozygous – 2 identical alleles (BB, ww)

Adapted from Iacono & Koenig, 1983.

• Genes are located on

• Humans have 23 pairs of

• Meiosis – a process of cell division

Chromosomes are DNA

Sex chromosomes, X and Y,

Dominant traits on the X

Mechanism of gene expression

• Enhancers: stretches of DNA that

• Transcription factors: proteins that

• Epigenetics: the pattern of actual

• Human genome project mapped the 3

Three influential studies:

Maze-dull rats did not

• Special diet during critical

Watch: Dating and Finding a Mate

template lightning ©istockphoto.com/Soubrette

template background texture ©istockphoto.com/Hedda Gjerpen

ch02 image twin boys ©istockphoto.com/RichardUpshur

4, 15, 17 brain ©istockphoto.com/Stephen Kirklys

6 Figure 2.1 Pinel 8e, p. 22

6 chimpanzee smiling ©istockphoto.com/Eric Isselée

7 Figure 2.3 Pinel 8e, p. 25

9 Figure 2.4 Pinel 8e, p. 26

10 Friends talking ©istockphoto.com/Chris Schmidt