Introduction to psychology
Pages
Lecture 1: Genes and evolution – p. 3-4; 67; 101-112
Lecture 2: The brain and the nervous system – p. 67-99
Lecture 3: Consciousness – p. 119-153
Lecture 4: Sensation and perception: vision – p. 159-183
Lecture 5: Learning – p. 203-237
Lecture 6: Memory – p. 243-277
Lecture 7: Thinking and intelligence – p. 283-295; 302-314
Lecture 8: Human development – p. 329-355
Lecture 9: Social psychology – p. 445-481
Lecture 10: Personality – p.495-522; 393-394; 400-401; 403-404
Lecture 11: Psychological disorders – p. 539-567
, Genes and evolution
Introduction (p. 3-4)
Psychology = the study of mind, brain and behaviour (through research)
- Mind: memories, thoughts, senses
- Brain: mental activity (cause of biochemical processes)
- Behaviour: totality of observable human/animals actions
A better definition according to teacher:
Psychology = the study of mind and brain to explain behaviour
Biology and behaviour (p.67)
We need to know how our nervous system works in order to understand
why and how we behave, cause physiological processes (like cell activity)
are the basis of psychological processes
Nature and nurture influences us both
The genetic basis (p.101-112)
Genome = an organisms specific set of genes
- (23 pairs of) chromosomes -> DNA -> genes (only those that create
protein)
Phenotype = the traits and behaviours of an organism
- Determined by genotype x environment
- Gene expression and dominant/recessive alleles
There are dominant and recessive genes -> allele = a specific variant of a
gene
- Homozygote = both alleles the same (DD/dd)
- Hetrozygote = the alleles are different (Dd)
The environment (and biochemical environment in the cell) causes gene
expression
, - Gene expression = whether a gene is turned on or off, the extent to
which a gene is transcribed into a sequence of amino acids
So whether or not the DNA is ‘used’ for making proteins
There are traits that are caused by one gene pair, but some are
polygenetic (=influenced by multiple genes) that is the case if there is a
range of variety within the population (like hight)
Natural selection
There are 3 conditions to natural selection
1. There is variation among individuals of a population
2. Individuals with a certain trait survive and reproduce at higher rates
than others
3. The trait associated with the advantage is passed on
- Resulting in becoming better adapted to the environment over time
Evidence of evolution
- Fossils (changes along heritage lines and splits in them)
- Resemblance between genomes of various organisms
- Pseudogenes (= an inactive gene that doesn’t produce any protein
because of a mutation. Its very likely that it did function in our
ancestors)
- Distribution of species across the world
Continental islands vs oceanic islands
, Studies
Behavioural genetics = the study of how genes and environment interact
to influence psychological activity
- Two different kinds
Twin studies: monozygotic/dizygotic twins
Adoption studies: biological/adopted siblings
Heredity = transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring
through genes
Heritability = a statistical estimate of the extent to which variation in a
trait within a population is due to genetics
Genetic manipulation
Epigenetics
- Environment changes the expression of a gene (“on” or “off”)
- Can be passes along to future generations
Genetic modifications
- Gene manipulation techniques to enhance or reduce the expression
of a particular gene or insert a gene from another animal species
into the embryo of another
- Changing one single gene can dramatically change behaviour
- Changing one gene’s expression leads to the expression or non-
expression of a series of other genes
Optogenetics
- Technique that provides precise control over when a neuron fires
Results into better understanding between neural firing and
behaviour (causal!)
- Uses light in combination with gene alterations to cause the action
potentials
Pages
Lecture 1: Genes and evolution – p. 3-4; 67; 101-112
Lecture 2: The brain and the nervous system – p. 67-99
Lecture 3: Consciousness – p. 119-153
Lecture 4: Sensation and perception: vision – p. 159-183
Lecture 5: Learning – p. 203-237
Lecture 6: Memory – p. 243-277
Lecture 7: Thinking and intelligence – p. 283-295; 302-314
Lecture 8: Human development – p. 329-355
Lecture 9: Social psychology – p. 445-481
Lecture 10: Personality – p.495-522; 393-394; 400-401; 403-404
Lecture 11: Psychological disorders – p. 539-567
, Genes and evolution
Introduction (p. 3-4)
Psychology = the study of mind, brain and behaviour (through research)
- Mind: memories, thoughts, senses
- Brain: mental activity (cause of biochemical processes)
- Behaviour: totality of observable human/animals actions
A better definition according to teacher:
Psychology = the study of mind and brain to explain behaviour
Biology and behaviour (p.67)
We need to know how our nervous system works in order to understand
why and how we behave, cause physiological processes (like cell activity)
are the basis of psychological processes
Nature and nurture influences us both
The genetic basis (p.101-112)
Genome = an organisms specific set of genes
- (23 pairs of) chromosomes -> DNA -> genes (only those that create
protein)
Phenotype = the traits and behaviours of an organism
- Determined by genotype x environment
- Gene expression and dominant/recessive alleles
There are dominant and recessive genes -> allele = a specific variant of a
gene
- Homozygote = both alleles the same (DD/dd)
- Hetrozygote = the alleles are different (Dd)
The environment (and biochemical environment in the cell) causes gene
expression
, - Gene expression = whether a gene is turned on or off, the extent to
which a gene is transcribed into a sequence of amino acids
So whether or not the DNA is ‘used’ for making proteins
There are traits that are caused by one gene pair, but some are
polygenetic (=influenced by multiple genes) that is the case if there is a
range of variety within the population (like hight)
Natural selection
There are 3 conditions to natural selection
1. There is variation among individuals of a population
2. Individuals with a certain trait survive and reproduce at higher rates
than others
3. The trait associated with the advantage is passed on
- Resulting in becoming better adapted to the environment over time
Evidence of evolution
- Fossils (changes along heritage lines and splits in them)
- Resemblance between genomes of various organisms
- Pseudogenes (= an inactive gene that doesn’t produce any protein
because of a mutation. Its very likely that it did function in our
ancestors)
- Distribution of species across the world
Continental islands vs oceanic islands
, Studies
Behavioural genetics = the study of how genes and environment interact
to influence psychological activity
- Two different kinds
Twin studies: monozygotic/dizygotic twins
Adoption studies: biological/adopted siblings
Heredity = transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring
through genes
Heritability = a statistical estimate of the extent to which variation in a
trait within a population is due to genetics
Genetic manipulation
Epigenetics
- Environment changes the expression of a gene (“on” or “off”)
- Can be passes along to future generations
Genetic modifications
- Gene manipulation techniques to enhance or reduce the expression
of a particular gene or insert a gene from another animal species
into the embryo of another
- Changing one single gene can dramatically change behaviour
- Changing one gene’s expression leads to the expression or non-
expression of a series of other genes
Optogenetics
- Technique that provides precise control over when a neuron fires
Results into better understanding between neural firing and
behaviour (causal!)
- Uses light in combination with gene alterations to cause the action
potentials
