PSYC 223 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Frontal Lobe, Muscle Tone, Limbic System
5 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
The human brain is composed of three distinct parts. The first is the reptilian brain, which controls vital aspects of the brain which are necessary to survival (eating, drinking, sleeping). The second part is the limbic brain which is responsible for automatic drives and processes such as feeling emotions and remembering and creating memories. The third part is the neocortex which is the analytical mind. The frontal lobe is most important to motivation because it deals with a person"s conscious goals. The left and right sides of the prefrontal lobes deal with approach and avoid motivated behavior. The hypothalamus is responsible for fundamental biological drives that regulate physiological needs, such as eating, drinking, mating and sleeping. The amygdala is responsible for feeling negative emotions that aid in self-preservation, such as fear and anxiety. It produces different negative emotions in response to certain stimuli or situations. It also helps us identify other people"s negative emotions.
