Notes from Bio 150 Lecture at Stanford University

Introduction

• Scenario presented: A 40-year-old man in a stable life suddenly exhibits bizarre behavior (punching someone, affair with a minor, embezzlement).
• Three potential explanations for his behavior:
  1. Deep-seated psychological issues ("deep creep").
  2. Immature midlife crisis.
  3. Genetic mutation causing neurological disease.

Audience Polls on Biological Influences

• Questions asked to the audience about genetic influences on:
  • Sexual orientation.
  • Prenatal events influencing political opinions.
  • Biological understanding of religion.
• Majority believed in the interaction between nature and nurture.

Hormonal Influences on Behavior

• Commonalities between:
  1. Menstruation.
  2. Brain tumors.
  3. Junk food consumption.
  4. Anabolic steroid use.
• All four have been successfully used in legal defenses to explain violent behavior (e.g., "Twinkie defense").

Key Points:

• Physiology influences behavior: What happens in the body can affect the brain.
• Psychology affects physiology: Thoughts and emotions can influence bodily functions.
• The course will explore the interaction between physiological processes and behavioral outcomes.

Complexity of Human Behavior

• Understanding human behavior is intricate and requires analysis beyond simple categories.
• The need for a strategy to simplify understanding: Using categories can obscure nuances of human behavior.
• Cognitive Biases: When categorized, we may:
  • Underestimate similarities or differences.
  • Fail to see the bigger picture.

Categories and Their Limitations

• Examples of categorical thinking:
  • Color perception can vary across cultures due to language.
  • Difficulty recalling items that do not fit neatly into categories.
  • Emphasis on boundaries can distort understanding of phenomena.

Course Structure and Goals

• The course will:
  • Examine human behavior without falling into categorical thinking.
  • Explore the interaction of genes, hormones, and environment in shaping behaviors.
  • Analyze behaviors through multiple lenses without reducing explanations to single factors.

Three Intellectual Challenges in the Course:

1. Recognizing our commonalities with other animals.
2. Understanding unique human experiences that arise from common physiological responses.
3. Identifying behaviors that have no parallel in the animal kingdom (e.g., non-reproductive sex).

Course Plan

• First Half: Introduction to categories (e.g., evolutionary theory, genetics, brain function).
• Second Half: In-depth exploration of specific behaviors and their biological underpinnings.
• Emphasis on interdisciplinary thinking to connect various biological influences on behavior.

Course Logistics

• No prerequisites; designed for all backgrounds.
• Sections will offer catch-up information for those less familiar with the material.
• Weekly sections, midterms, and a final exam.
• Two required books: 1 by the instructor and one by James Gleick on chaos theory.

Conclusion

• The course will focus on understanding the complexities of human behavior through a biological lens.
• Students encouraged to actively engage with the material and utilize TA support.