Introductory Psychology Lecture Notes

Course Overview

• MIT OpenCourseWare: Licensed under Creative Commons.
• Course Intent: To delve deeper into common psychological concepts beyond everyday knowledge or 'Folk psychology'.

Understanding Folk Psychology

• Term Origin: Coined in the 19th century to describe common-sense understanding of psychology aside from academic knowledge.
• Example: Love, an emotion vs. cognition vs. motivation.
  • Love is complex; differs from simple emotions like sadness/happiness.
    • Love involves feeling and cognition.
  • Potentially a motivation to get closer or possess the object of desire.
  • Evolutionary psychology view: Love serves the evolutionary purpose of gene perpetuation.

Psychological Concepts Using 'Love' as an Example

• Nuances of Love: Not a simple emotion; could be a motivation or cognition.
• Biological Aspects: Different brain chemicals are responsible for romantic love (e.g., opioids) and sexual desire (e.g., testosterone).
• Evolutionary Purpose: Love evolved to support pair bonding and effective child-rearing.
• Cultural and Individual Perceptions:
  • Societal norms influence our understanding of what is 'normal' in love and relationships.
  • Questions about how we perceive love and who truly understands our emotions.

Academic Psychology and Methodology

• Aim: To provide an overview of answers and topics in modern academic psychology through lectures, recitations, and textbooks.
• Materialist Ideology: The mind is what the brain does; thoughts, feelings, and memories arise from brain activity.

Techniques to Study the Brain Functions

1. Imaging Techniques:
   • fMRI: Functional MRI shows structure and function in living subjects.
2. Lesions and Brain Damage:
   • Studies of brain damage reveal functional areas; older technique but still fundamental.
3. Behavioral Measures:
   • Observing behavior to infer brain activity.
4. Stimulation Techniques:
   • Chemical/Electrical Stimulation: Inducing activity in brain areas to observe function.
     • Wilder Penfield's neurosurgery experiments to map brain functions.
5. Recording Techniques:
   • EEG: Measuring electrical activity in the brain via electrodes on the skull.
   • Single-Cell Recording: Observing individual neuron activities to understand their role.
6. Genetic Studies:
   • Exploring genetic influence on behavior; e.g., vole studies manipulating genes affecting monogamous behavior.

Insights from Leslie Studies

• Evidence from Strokes: Combining imaging and behavioral data for functional brain mapping.
• Conditions like epilepsy: Using knowledge of brain areas to make surgical decisions.
• Neuroplasticity: Changes in brain function linked to plasticity post-lesions.

The Brain Structure

• Cortex: The outer wrinkled layer.
• Limbic Structures: Involved in emotions and memory (e.g., amygdala, hippocampus).
• Core Structures: Essential for basic life functions like heartbeat and breathing.
• Homunculus Representation:
  • Distorted map showing overrepresented areas (e.g., hands, face) in sensory cortex.
  • Different maps for sensory and motor functions.

Neuroscience and Materialism

• Brain as Seat of Mind: All cognitive functions arise from brain activity.
• Dualism vs. Materialism: Materialism posits the mind is produced by brain activity; dualism claims the mind is separate but interacts with the brain.

Practical Considerations

• Attend lectures and recitations, and engage with the textbook.
• Familiarize with the syllabus for important dates and assignments.
• Application of theoretical knowledge: Be prepared for varied methods of evaluation including exam questions on complex concepts discussed in the course.

Conclusion

• Comprehensive understanding of psychology requires integration of multiple methods and perspectives. Understanding practical applications and theoretical basis is essential for deeper insights into human behavior and mental processes.