Test yourself by taking a moment to answer each of these Learning Objective Questions (repeated here from within the chapter). Research suggests that trying to answer these questions on your own will improve your long-term memory of the concepts (McDaniel et al., 2009).
Biology and Behavior
Why are psychologists concerned with human biology?
Neural Communication
What are the parts of a neuron?
How do neurons communicate?
How do neurotransmitters affect our mood and behavior?
The Nervous System
What are the two major divisions of the nervous system, and what are their basic functions?
The Endocrine System
How does the endocrine system transmit information and interact with the nervous system?
The Brain
What are some techniques for studying the brain?
What are the functions of the brainstem and its related structures?
What are the structures and functions of the limbic system?
What are the four lobes of the cerebral cortex, and where are they located?
What are the functions of the motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, and association areas?
When damaged, can the brain repair or reorganize itself?
What is a split brain, and what does it reveal about the functions of our left and right hemispheres?
Brain States and Consciousness
What do we mean by consciousness, and how does selective attention direct our perceptions?
What is the circadian rhythm, and what are the stages of our nightly sleep cycle?
How do our sleep patterns differ? What five theories describe our need to sleep?
How does sleep loss affect us, and what are the major sleep disorders?
What do we dream about, and what are five theories of why we dream?
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