Sleep & Psychology

We spend 1/3 of our lives asleep (some of us even more) - why is sleep so important to our survival?  What is the difference between deep sleep and REM sleep?  How does sleep affect your health? How does sleep affect your intelligence and development?  These are some of the questions we are going to examine in our unit on sleep and psychology.

Article from Time Magazine:   http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1009765-1,00.html

Video from 60 Minutes:    http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4181992n

PowerPoint from Class:    http://bdoughertyamschool.wikispaces.com/Grade+10+documents+-+2010-2011

The Limits of the Human Brain

When the human body/brain are pushed to extremes we find out that the brain is capable of things we never imagined.  Watch the videos to find out what your brain is able to achieve.

Video Response Questions (completed in class):    http://bdoughertyamschool.wikispaces.com/Grade+10+documents+-+2010-2011

Quiz: the Brain

Your quiz on Friday, October 1st will cover the information from your notes in class as well as the 10 questions answered last week on your blog and the information covered in class regarding the case study of Phineas Gage.  We will have a short review in class this week - please see me with any questions.

PowerPoint presentation from class:    http://bdoughertyamschool.wikispaces.com/Grade+10+documents+-+2010-2011

Lost And Found -- Cognitive Scientists Use fMRI To Watch Brains While Eyes Search

ScienceDaily  -- Cognitive scientists ran an experiment to understand how the brain searches for an object with a known shape. They asked subjects to track the movement of dots, and used fMRI to see which parts of the brain activated. The fMRI showed that when the brain is looking for a particular feature, such as a certain shape or color, it is searching for that feature everywhere in the visual field, not just in the spot where the eyes focus.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2008/0207-lost_and_found.htm

Topics for Discussion - Nature vs Nurture (videos for class)

Six segments from the BBC entitled "The Mind of a Murderer": Details case studies of criminals convicted of murder and the biological/environmental factors that may have caused the brain damage thought to be responsible for the actions of the murderers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_u3PH-7oAg  Seg 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHpGEGSnGDA&feature=related  Seg 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZupNkYTcKM4&feature=related  Seg 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbZX4jfbQSE&feature=related  Seg 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJl2qHrt6gI&feature=related  Seg 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXR-PtM_eCU&feature=related  Seg 6

A "60 Minutes" story detailing the possible biological connections to homosexuality (2 segments.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3pvAk7Zz5U&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS6J_gg89ms&feature=related

Hotly Debated Topics in the Nature/Nurture Debate

Examine each of these topics and consider how each might be determined by both biological and environmental factors.  Choose one topic and explore (research) it in depth.  Write a 500 word minimum essay explaining it's possible causes (use your research to lay out your explanation.)

Begin with an introduction to the topic which explains both the question of nature vs. nurture as well as the topic your chose for research and your own ideasa on it's causes (explain what you think before any research is done that could change your opinion.)
In the body of the essay, explain (using the research you have done) what the beliefs are from psychology/other sciences about the origins of this human characteristic.  What research has been done to determine this? Are there both biological and environmental causes?
Finish your essay with a short conclusion which wraps up the ideas you have presented.

- Include at least two pictures relevant to the topic and be sure to site all references used.
*Be sure to write in your own words - do not copy and paste.
*Due date is midnight on September 07.

-Athletic Ability

-Intelligence

-Criminal Behavior
-Personality
-Homosexuality
-Creativity

Darwin's Contribution to Psychology

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) Developed the Theory of Natural Selection following his 5-year journey aboard the HMS Beagle. It did, however, take him 22 years to develop and publish this theory of how life has adapted (or not) to environmental conditions to become what it is today.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2699/is_0000/ai_2699000082/

http://vimeo.com/8921583