Introduction to the Study of Psychology PSYC1001

The Brain ● Processes and stores information about the environment ● Controls behaviour -voluptuary behaviour + involuntary ex like remembering to breath ● Regulates the body’s physiological processes ● Brains the body what to do The Brain ● Forebrain – Cerebral cortex, limbic system, thalamus, basal ganglia, hypothalamus (2 halves) ● Midbrain – several sections, including superior and inferior colliculi (colliculus), substantia nigra, mesencephalon, ● Hindbrain – medulla, cerebellum, pons ● The Brain Stem – incorporates all of the midbrain and all of the hindbrain except for the cerebellum (evolved first - helps with the automatic parts ex breathing) ● Most of the function of the brain is shared with most hemispheres The Brain ● The brain stem – one of the most primitive regions of the brain. Controls physiological functions and automatic behaviour. ● The cerebral hemispheres – are covered by a layer of tissue called the cerebral cortex. Most mammals have a smooth cerebral cortex, but in humans the cerebral cortex is deeply convoluted (furrowed) – allowing for greater interconnections between parts of the cortex – which allows humans to engage in more complex cognitive activity. ● Bumps and groves = more surface area, greater interactivity The Brain ● The Cerebral Cortex (the “grey matter”) – full of bulges and grooves. ● Gyri (or Gyrus in the singular) – the bulges ● Fissures – the large grooves ● Sulci (or Sulcus in the singular) – the small grooves ● Involved in perception, memory, and “thoughts” ● Only three we need to know