A complex interplay of psychological and biological factors shapes behavior. Biological structures and processes serve as the pathway by which bodies carry out activities. They also affect predispositions to behave in certain ways, shape personalities, and influence the likelihood of developing psychological disorders. Psychological factors also affect behavior, and consequently, health and well-being.
The content in this category covers biological bases of behavior, including the effect of genetics and how the nervous and endocrine systems affect behavior. It also addresses how personality, psychological disorders, motivation, and attitudes affect behavior. Some of these topics are learned in the context of non-human animal species.
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Human Physiology |
Biological Bases of Behavior (PSY, BIO)*
- The nervous system
- Neurons
- Neurotransmitters
- Peripheral nervous system
- Central nervous system
- The brain
- The brainstem
- The cerebellum
- The diencephalon (BIO)
- The cerebrum
- Control of voluntary movement in the cerebral cortex
- Information processing in the cerebral cortex
- Lateralization of cortical functions
- Neurons communicate and influence behavior (PSY)
- Influence of Neurotransmitters on behavior (PSY)
- The endocrine system
- Components of the endocrine system
- Effects of the endocrine system on behavior
- Behavioral genetics
- Genes, temperament, heredity
- Adaptive value of traits and behaviors
- Interaction between heredity and environmental influences
- Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of behaviors
- Experience and behavior (PSY)
- Regulatory genes and behavior (BIO)
- Genetically based behavioral variation in natural populations
- Human physiological development (PSY)
- Prenatal development
- Motor development
- Developmental changes in adolescence
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- Ch. 7 The Nervous System and Neuronal Excitability
- Ch. 8 The Central Nervous System
- Ch. 12 Control of Body Movement, pp. 426-437
- Ch. 13 The Endocrine System, pp. 448-456
- Ch. 23 The Reproductive Systems, pp. 839-850
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Psychological Disorders (PSY)*
- Understanding psychological disorders
- Biomedical vs. biopsychosocial approaches
- Classifying psychological disorders
- Rates of psychological disorders
- Types of psychological disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Somatoform disorders
- Mood disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Dissociative disorder
- Personality disorders
- Biological bases of nervous system disorders (PSY, BIO)
- Schizophrenia
- Depression
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stem cell-based therapy to regenerate neurons in CNS (BIO)
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- Ch. 7 The Nervous System and Neuronal Excitability, p. 236
- Ch. 8 The Central Nervous System, p. 275
- Ch. 12 Control of Body Movement, p. 441
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Motivation (PSY)*
- Factors that influence motivation
- Instinct
- Arousal
- Drives
- Negative feedback systems (PSY, BIO)
- Needs
- Theories that explain how motivation affects human behavior
- Drive reduction theory
- Incentive theory
- Other: Cognitive and need-based theories
- Application of theories of motivation to understand behaviors (e.g., eating, sexual, drug and alcohol use)
- Biological factors in regulation of these motivational processes
- Sociocultural factors in regulation of these motivational processes
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- Ch. 8 The Central Nervous System, pp. 271-273
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