1 22 2015 Week 2 cont d Experimental Research experimenter manipulates the variable of interest while holding all other factors constants CAN determine cause and effect relationships statements this factor is what causing this behavior Ex you often wonder Does stress interfere w memory Does sugar intake really cause hyperactivity video games violence which weight loss program works the best Operational Definitions specific definition used for the purpose of the present experiment for the purpose of the experiment must state your own scientist s definition of variables ex What causes girls and boys to Must state specific age what girls and what boys specifically etc Independent Variable the thing you manipulate thing that changes from group to group ex Types of people workouts calories etc ex Sugar amounts children intake Dependent Variable the thing you measure Ex Weight loss from each group ex Amount of activity in recess Experiential Group vs Control Group ex Does stress interfere w memory Group A stressed out experimental Group B unstressed control group Control Group to have something to compare experiment to Experimental Hazards problems that may arise in a poorly designated experiment Sample Bias the groups in an experiment are not equivalent before the study begins Ways to minimize sample bias Experimenter Bias a researcher s expectations about the outcome of a study influence the results Ways to minimize Participant Bias the expectancies of the participant influence the results of the study ways to minimize The Brain Behavior Chapter 2 Part 1 Characteristics Organization of the Nervous System The Nervous System The body s electrochemical communication system What is an electrochemical system Electricity chemicals to communicate Behavioral Neurosciences is the study of how the nervous system affects and controls behavior The Four Key Characteristics key hallmarks of nervous system 1 Complexity 2 Over 100 billion nerve cells each one talks to 10 000 friends each one talks to another 10 000 friends etc Integration Reality tastes smells sights touch emotions sounds ex Hole in your eyeball that allows you to see light 3 Electrochemical Transmission communication from nerve cell to nerve cell Electricity passing through nerve cells gap connected with chemical messengers electrical impulses what takes message from nerve cell to end Chemical messages transmitted nerve cell to next neuron with chemicals 4 Adaptability Plasticity the brain has a special capacity to change adapt as we experience new things or encounter injuries ability to redirect brain cells where needed Once brain cells are lost we can t get them back killing them fever drinking etc We have a big enough supply that we recruit to use the neurons when we need them ex Stroke lose a huge proportion of neurons need to move arm practice practice eventually brain will redistribute neurons from somewhere else to help control that arm The young brain vs the mature brain younger the brain the more plasticity Youtube video young girl Jodie with epilepsy removed her right hemisphere now almost normal because left hemisphere adapted w plasticity Left hemisphere contains much more of control and math speech science etc Organization of the Nervous System Central Brain Hindbrain Midbrain Forebrain Spinal Cord Happens almost instantly Spinal reflex reflex that helps us and works as a safety method from us getting hurt Peripheral 2 Autonomic motor system the automatic nervous systems involuntary activates or inhibits internal organs of the body to make them work we don t have to consciously make that happen ex Digestion pupil dilation blood pressure hormones Sympathetic screaming Parasympathetic Somatic Sensory Motor System that relays information about touch pain to the central nervous system and sends messages from the brain to the muscles to produce voluntary movement Sensory Motor
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