3: BIOLOGY AS THE BASIS OF BEHAVIOR
- Page ID
- 11972
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- 3.1: The Brain and Nervous System
- The brain is the most complex part of the human body. It is the center of consciousness and also controls all voluntary and involuntary movement and bodily functions. It communicates with each part of the body through the nervous system, a network of channels that carry electrochemical signals.
- 3.2: Evolutionary Theories in Psychology
- Evolution or change over time occurs through the processes of natural and sexual selection. In response to problems in our environment, we adapt both physically and psychologically to ensure our survival and reproduction.
- 3.3: The Nature-Nurture Question
- People have a deep intuition about what has been called the “nature–nurture question.” Some aspects of our behavior feel as though they originate in our genetic makeup, while others feel like the result of our upbringing or our own hard work. Genes and environments always combine to produce behavior, and the real science is in the discovery of how they combine for a given behavior.
- 3.4: Gender
- This module discusses gender and its related concepts, including sex, gender roles, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexism. In addition, this module includes a discussion of differences that exist between males and females and how these real gender differences compare to the stereotypes society holds about gender differences. In fact, there are significantly fewer real gender differences than one would expect relative to the large number of stereotypes about gender differences.