Discuss the four biological explanations of behavior
What will be an ideal response?
A physiological explanation relates a behavior to the activity of the brain and other organs. It deals with the machinery of the body—for example, the chemical reactions that enable hormones to influence brain activity and the routes by which brain activity controls muscle contractions.
An ontogenetic explanation describes how a structure or behavior develops, including the influences of genes, nutrition, experiences, and their interactions. For example, the ability to inhibit impulses develops gradually from infancy through the teenage years, reflecting gradual maturation of the frontal parts of the brain.
An evolutionary explanation reconstructs the evolutionary history of a structure or behavior. The characteristic features of an animal are almost always modifications of something found in ancestral species. For example, bat wings are modified arms, and porcupine quills are modified hairs. In behavior, monkeys use tools occasionally, and humans evolved elaborations on those abilities that enable us to use tools even better. Evolutionary explanations call attention to behavioral similarities among related species.
A functional explanation describes why a structure or behavior evolved as it did. Within a small, isolated population, a gene can spread by accident through a process called genetic drift. For example, a dominant male with many offspring spreads all his genes, including some that helped him become dominant and other genes that were irrelevant or even disadvantageous. However, a gene that is prevalent in a large population probably provided some advantage—at least in the past, though not necessarily today. A functional explanation identifies that advantage.
You might also like to view...
In studies of eyelid conditioning in rabbits, Thompson and his colleagues have demonstrated that learning for this conditioned response takes place in the ____
a. red nucleus of the midbrain b. temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex c. lateral interpositus nucleus of the cerebellum d. ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus
Whereas _____ was interested in the relationship between the elements of consciousness, _____ was interested in identifying the basic elements themselves.
A) Titchener; Wundt B) Wundt; Titchener C) Wundt; James D) Titchener; James
With respect to the relationship between the principles of evolution and the brain's mental abilities, evolutionary psychologists
a. assume that brains evolve just as other organs do. b. believe that evolution of mental abilities has finally ended. c. have concluded that brains adapt in humans, but not in other animals. d. believe that only physical abilities adapt to environmental demands, not the brain.
A sound mixer was impressed by the new equipment that was installed in the recording studio. He says that now he will be able to help singers and musicians produce better music tracks because he can eliminate unneeded and undesired wavelengths
What term describes the characteristic of sound waves that the sound mixer is now able to alter? a) volley b) amplitude c) frequency d) saturation