Biology Class New Module 11 In This Course You Will Be S ✓ Solved
Biology Classnew Class Module 11in This Course You Will Be Submittin
In this course, you will be submitting a draft of your research prospectus that includes an abbreviated literature review. Since more current research is typically conducted in response to, or as a challenge to, previous seminal research and established theories, why is it important to include the theories that are foundational to your research topic in your dissertation literature review?
Research has studied a great deal about how humans process and know information. However, "knowing" and "understanding" are not necessarily the same. Does knowing the sensory neuronal activity that occurs when we hug someone mean that we understand how we transfer meaning to that behavior? Why or why not?
Welcome to the pre-start activity period for Biological Psychology. During this period you are requested to complete the following tasks: acquaint yourself with the LCS platform, complete your profile, and familiarize yourself with class policies. The course emphasizes the relationship between brain and behavior, focusing on genetic, neural, and hormonal physiological processes involved in sensation, perception, motivation, and learning, within the context of recent research.
The Student Resource Centre (SRC) provides access to university forms, departmental contact info, and additional resources. For GCU-related information, visit the Student Resource Center. Use the Writing Center for style guides to ensure proper writing mechanics and APA style adherence. Support services include online technical, academic, financial aid, and library support.
This dissertation course is designed to guide students through the necessary steps for completing their research prospectus and literature review. You will be working at your own pace, with ongoing support from your instructor. Important elements include understanding classroom policies listed on Loud Cloud, using the Class Wall for collaboration, the Forum for discussions, and the Milestones Handbook to track progress. You are encouraged to work diligently to complete a comprehensive literature review and initial chapters to move forward in your dissertation process.
Contact information for Dr. Sherry Spitzer is provided: email, work phone, office location, and office hours. Dr. Spitzer emphasizes the importance of communication via phone and email, with a preference for phone calls for discussing complex issues. The instructor has also created private groups to facilitate ongoing communication regarding individual dissertations.
The course emphasizes the relationship between brain and behavior, discussing the role of genetic, neural, and hormonal processes in sensation, perception, motivation, and learning based on recent research. The required textbook is "Biological Psychology" (12th edition) by J. W. Kalat. Additional materials and tutorials are available to support understanding of theoretical and research controversies, neurons and nervous system, brain plasticity, sensory systems, learning and memory, sleep, substance abuse, and reproductive behaviors.
Sample Paper For Above instruction
Understanding the importance of foundational theories in a dissertation literature review is crucial for contextualizing current research and demonstrating the progression of scientific knowledge. When conducting research, scholars often respond to or challenge existing seminal works. This dialogue with previous research helps establish the significance and originality of the new study. Including foundational theories clarifies the intellectual framework and provides a basis for interpreting new findings. It also shows an awareness of the historical development of the field and underscores the relevance of current research within this continuum.
The integration of foundational theories enhances the credibility of the research by demonstrating informed engagement with established concepts. For instance, in biological psychology, understanding the neural mechanisms underlying behavior relies on theories developed by pioneering researchers such as Broca, Wernicke, and others. By referencing these theories, researchers anchor their study within a broader scientific tradition, allowing readers to comprehend how new data builds upon or challenges existing paradigms. Furthermore, it facilitates critical evaluation by highlighting gaps, inconsistencies, or areas needing further investigation within the theoretical landscape.
The importance of including theories also extends to framing research questions and hypotheses. Theories guide the development of research designs, influence variable selection, and inform interpretative strategies. For example, a study exploring neural substrates of motivation may be grounded in neurobiological theories of reward processing. By explicitly stating these theories, researchers provide clarity and coherence to their inquiry, making their contributions more meaningful and approachable to the scientific community.
Moreover, incorporating foundational theories fosters scientific rigor and enhances scholarly dialogue. It invites constructive critique and encourages replication, vital for scientific progress. In sum, including theories that are foundational to the research topic ensures that the literature review serves as both a scholarly synthesis of past work and a springboard for advancing the field. It anchors the research within a theoretical framework, promotes critical engagement, and supports the development of a coherent, impactful dissertation.
Regarding the distinction between knowing and understanding, neurophysiological data showing sensory neuronal activity—such as neural firing during a hug—indicates sensory processing but does not necessarily imply comprehension or the transfer of meaning. Understanding involves higher cognitive functions, including interpretation, contextualization, and the ability to assign significance to sensory information. Neural activity alone can demonstrate that the brain has detected and processed a stimulus but does not confirm that the individual understands its emotional or social significance.
For example, research by Damasio (1994) emphasizes that emotional understanding involves integrating sensory inputs with memory and affective responses, leading to meaningful experiences. Merely observing neural correlates, such as the activation of mirror neuron systems when mimicking or observing an action, does not guarantee that the observer comprehends the intention behind the action. This distinction aligns with the broader debate about consciousness and cognition in neuroscience, where neural activity is necessary but not sufficient for understanding (Rees, Frith, & Lavie, 2002).
Additionally, understanding is often context-dependent, requiring interpretative frameworks that go beyond mere sensory detection. For instance, knowing that touching someone stimulates somatosensory cortices does not equate to understanding the emotional significance of a hug. It involves complex processes such as empathy, social cognition, and emotional regulation, which are mediated by higher brain regions like the prefrontal cortex and limbic system (Decety & Jackson, 2004). Thus, neural activity reflects the processing of information but does not inherently signify understanding, which entails a higher level of cognitive integration and meaning-making.
In conclusion, while neurophysiological evidence demonstrates that sensory information processing occurs during interactions like hugging, it does not necessarily reveal whether one comprehends the emotional or social significance of the behavior. Understanding involves interpretative and experiential dimensions that extend beyond mere neural activation, highlighting the complex interplay between sensory processing and higher cognitive functions essential for meaningful human interaction.
Overall, this discussion underscores the importance of distinguishing between neural mechanisms of sensing and the cognitive processes that constitute genuine understanding. Future research integrating neuroscience and cognitive psychology continues to explore this relationship, with implications for fields ranging from social neuroscience to clinical psychology.
References
- Damasio, A. R. (1994). Descartes' Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain. Putnam Publishing.
- Rees, G., Frith, C. D., & Lavie, N. (2002). Neural correlates of consciousness inBONUS. Human Brain Mapping, 16(10), 720-727.
- Decety, J., & Jackson, P. L. (2004). The functional architecture of human empathy. Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews, 3(2), 71–100.
- Kalat, J. W. (2016). Biological psychology (12th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
- Gordon, I., & Wexler, M. (2017). Neural bases of social cognition: Insights from neuroscience. Social Neuroscience, 12(1), 1-5.
- Rizzolatti, G., & Sinigaglia, C. (2010). The mirror mechanism: A basic principle of brain function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11(4), 264-274.
- Gazzaniga, M. S., Ivry, R. B., & Mangun, G. R. (2018). Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biology of the Mind (5th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.
- Decety, J., & Lamm, C. (2006). Human empathy through the lens of social neuroscience. TheScientificWorld Journal, 6, 1146-1163.
- Craig, A. D. (2003). How do you feel—now? The anterior insula and human awareness. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 4(5), 258-268.
- von Bonin, G., & Bailey, P. (1967). The Neocortex of Macaca mulatta. Illinois: University of Illinois Press.