Biological Bases of Behavior (8-10%)
An effective introduction to the relationship between physiological processes and behavior — including the influence of neural function, the nervous system and the brain, and genetic contributions to behavior — is an important element in the AP course.
AP students in psychology should be able to do the following: • Identify basic processes and systems in the biological bases of behavior, including parts of the neuron and the process of transmission of a signal between neurons. • Discuss the influence of drugs on neurotransmitters (e.g., reuptake mechanisms, agonists, antagonists). • Discuss the effect of the endocrine system on behavior. • Describe the nervous system and its subdivisions and functions: — central and peripheral nervous systems; — major brain regions, lobes, and cortical areas; — brain lateralization and hemispheric specialization. • Discuss the role of neuroplasticity in traumatic brain injury. • Recount historic and contemporary research strategies and technologies that support research (e.g., case studies, split-brain research, imaging techniques). • Discuss psychology’s abiding interest in how heredity, environment, and evolution work together to shape behavior. • Predict how traits and behavior can be selected for their adaptive value. • Identify key contributors (e.g., Paul Broca, Charles Darwin, Michael Gazzaniga, Roger Sperry, Carl Wernicke). |
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Brain Project Explanation by ahdyal on Scribd
Brain Project Rubric by ahdyal on Scribd
Brain Project Examples
The Brain Song
Children's Brain Book
Brain Models