CHAPTER 2: THE BIOLOGY OF BEHAVIOR Student Guide:
The purpose of this
guide is to help you
Since psychology deals with how we perceive and Advancements in neuroscience and engage with textbook
understand the universe, it could be argued that this chemistry have had pros and cons:
scientific discipline brings all the other disciplines
content in a way that
together. • Furthering our understanding of how fosters critical thinking
we perceive, remember, and respond and internalization of
Ultimately, all scientific advancements and all human to the world around us (i.e., _______ the information.
achievements are housed in the _________. stimuli) and within us (i.e., ________
stimuli).
We encourage you to
• Enabling humankind to further fill in the spaces in
______________ is fundamental to the psychological
study of perception. Studying perception focuses on
develop and refine the chemicals these pages as you are
used to alter consciousness—often reading through this
how we construct and extract meaning from simple,
with terrible consequences, which chapter.
isolated physical stimuli (e.g., light, sound, smell, taste,
include crime, violence, addiction,
and touch).
health problems, economic burdens,
Neuroscience is _______________________________ family breakdowns, job loss, and
__________________________. death.
NOTES:
1
, Why focus on biology in a psychology course?
Complex behaviors almost always have a biological component and thus tend to fall
along a “____________” with few people on the extremes and a large number of
people showing intermediate or average ability.
So, while there is considerable variation in _________, ___________, and
_____________, often all three have to act on someone to decrease or increase the
likelihood of a certain behavior.
Of course, human value does not come from ________________________, in terms
of income or credentialing. Instead, it comes from _______________.
Humans were made in the image and likeness of God, and in the simplest of
explanations, it means we are made with the aptitude to think, reason,
communicate, create, and manage as well as live in relation with one another and
with God (Genesis 1:26-27, 31).
NOTES:
2
, Advances within every scientific
discipline continue to accelerate at
While some scientists gaze across the universe, others
astonishing, unprecedented rates.
have recently delved deep into the human body, unlocking The _________ and _________
one of its greatest mysteries, the ___________________. dilemmas extending from these
The complete genetic blueprint for building a human being advancements develop just as
quickly.
is available for the first time. In fact, it took a multinational
effort over thirteen years to sequence the human genome, Just because it _____ be done
yet God spoke such complexity into existence. does not mean it ______ be done.
Knowledge of the very building blocks that provide As Christians, it is important to be
_________, _________, and _________ to our bodies able to respond to these ethical
challenges with informed and
offers enormous potential for not just treating but curing
reasoned, scientifically sound but
disease. also Christian-integrated answers
(Proverbs 4).
INTEGRATING THE BIBLE WITH NEUROSCIENCE
NOTES:
3
, It is intellectually and scientifically unsound to discount competing theories
and related hypotheses. This is a science book,
first and foremost.
To this end, even Christians should understand competing theories. The However, it is grounded
sharpest contrast to the Biblical account of creation is atheistic, natural
on a biblical _________
evolution.
and filtered through a
In science, most notably in biology and psychology, _________________ is
biblical _________. This
EVOLUTION
contrasts with most
a widely accepted position regarding the origins of and differentiation of species,
even though many who believe this model have a difficult time explaining its approaches that presume
underlying mechanisms, the measures of success, and moral consequences. to be purely scientific and
objective, not adhering to
According to Albert Einstein, "Science without religion is _________, religion
without science is _________." any particular worldview,
• This famous maxim has been the source of continuous debate between but that is impossible.
believers and non-believers wanting to claim that one of the greatest scientist
of the 20th century as their own. This debate between the value of science Whether people admit it
and religion especially as it pertains to evolution is not trivial. or not, people’s ________
impact how they
To accept a totally secular view of origins simultaneously subsumes a view of approach controversial
_________________—all truth, value, purpose, or right or wrong is based on an
topics. At least this book
individual’s beliefs, and no one belief system is necessarily better or worse than
another. Belief in evolution played a fundamental role in changing the debate
is transparent about
about what is right and what is wrong from one of searching for truth to one in those beliefs.
which everyone simply defines their own truth.
NOTES:
4
The purpose of this
guide is to help you
Since psychology deals with how we perceive and Advancements in neuroscience and engage with textbook
understand the universe, it could be argued that this chemistry have had pros and cons:
scientific discipline brings all the other disciplines
content in a way that
together. • Furthering our understanding of how fosters critical thinking
we perceive, remember, and respond and internalization of
Ultimately, all scientific advancements and all human to the world around us (i.e., _______ the information.
achievements are housed in the _________. stimuli) and within us (i.e., ________
stimuli).
We encourage you to
• Enabling humankind to further fill in the spaces in
______________ is fundamental to the psychological
study of perception. Studying perception focuses on
develop and refine the chemicals these pages as you are
used to alter consciousness—often reading through this
how we construct and extract meaning from simple,
with terrible consequences, which chapter.
isolated physical stimuli (e.g., light, sound, smell, taste,
include crime, violence, addiction,
and touch).
health problems, economic burdens,
Neuroscience is _______________________________ family breakdowns, job loss, and
__________________________. death.
NOTES:
1
, Why focus on biology in a psychology course?
Complex behaviors almost always have a biological component and thus tend to fall
along a “____________” with few people on the extremes and a large number of
people showing intermediate or average ability.
So, while there is considerable variation in _________, ___________, and
_____________, often all three have to act on someone to decrease or increase the
likelihood of a certain behavior.
Of course, human value does not come from ________________________, in terms
of income or credentialing. Instead, it comes from _______________.
Humans were made in the image and likeness of God, and in the simplest of
explanations, it means we are made with the aptitude to think, reason,
communicate, create, and manage as well as live in relation with one another and
with God (Genesis 1:26-27, 31).
NOTES:
2
, Advances within every scientific
discipline continue to accelerate at
While some scientists gaze across the universe, others
astonishing, unprecedented rates.
have recently delved deep into the human body, unlocking The _________ and _________
one of its greatest mysteries, the ___________________. dilemmas extending from these
The complete genetic blueprint for building a human being advancements develop just as
quickly.
is available for the first time. In fact, it took a multinational
effort over thirteen years to sequence the human genome, Just because it _____ be done
yet God spoke such complexity into existence. does not mean it ______ be done.
Knowledge of the very building blocks that provide As Christians, it is important to be
_________, _________, and _________ to our bodies able to respond to these ethical
challenges with informed and
offers enormous potential for not just treating but curing
reasoned, scientifically sound but
disease. also Christian-integrated answers
(Proverbs 4).
INTEGRATING THE BIBLE WITH NEUROSCIENCE
NOTES:
3
, It is intellectually and scientifically unsound to discount competing theories
and related hypotheses. This is a science book,
first and foremost.
To this end, even Christians should understand competing theories. The However, it is grounded
sharpest contrast to the Biblical account of creation is atheistic, natural
on a biblical _________
evolution.
and filtered through a
In science, most notably in biology and psychology, _________________ is
biblical _________. This
EVOLUTION
contrasts with most
a widely accepted position regarding the origins of and differentiation of species,
even though many who believe this model have a difficult time explaining its approaches that presume
underlying mechanisms, the measures of success, and moral consequences. to be purely scientific and
objective, not adhering to
According to Albert Einstein, "Science without religion is _________, religion
without science is _________." any particular worldview,
• This famous maxim has been the source of continuous debate between but that is impossible.
believers and non-believers wanting to claim that one of the greatest scientist
of the 20th century as their own. This debate between the value of science Whether people admit it
and religion especially as it pertains to evolution is not trivial. or not, people’s ________
impact how they
To accept a totally secular view of origins simultaneously subsumes a view of approach controversial
_________________—all truth, value, purpose, or right or wrong is based on an
topics. At least this book
individual’s beliefs, and no one belief system is necessarily better or worse than
another. Belief in evolution played a fundamental role in changing the debate
is transparent about
about what is right and what is wrong from one of searching for truth to one in those beliefs.
which everyone simply defines their own truth.
NOTES:
4
