PSYC 1115 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 psych 1115 part 2.docx
13 Aug 2013
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The cerebral hemispheres (the two halves of the brain), the brain"s newest and highest parts. Between the oldest and the newest brain lies the limbic system (limbus means border ) The system contains the amygdala, the hypothalamus, and the hippocampus. Animals or humans who lose their hippocampus to surgery or injury also lose their ability to form new memories of facts and events. Research has linked the amygdala, two lima-bean-sized neural clusters to aggression and fear. In 1939, psychologist heinrich kluver and neurosurgeon paul bucy surgically removed a rhesus monkey"s amygdale, turning the normally ill-tempered animal into the most mellow of creatures. In studies with other animals, including other wild animals, including the lynx, wolverine, and wild rat, researchers noted the same effect. These experiments have confirmed the amygdala"s role in rage and fear including the perception of these emotions and the processing of emotional memories. The brain is not neatly organized into structures that correspond to our behaviour categories.
