PS261 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Pineal Gland, Reflexology, George Romanes
Document Summary
Before him, the prevailing view was that human behaviour is entirely determined by conscious intent. Cartesian dualism: dualistic view of human behaviour, two classes of human behaviour: involuntary and voluntary. Believed other animals only have involuntary behaviour and nonhumans lack free will. Mind was connected to physical body through pineal gland. Descartes believed nerves were hollow tubes and gases called animal spirits flowed through neural tubes, entered muscles and caused them to swell and create movement. Charles bell proved separate nerves are involved in transmission of sensory info from sense organs to cns and motor info from cns to muscles. Sechenov suggested actions/thoughts that occurred in absense of obvious eliciting stimulus were in fact reflexive responses elicited by inconspicuous, faint stimuli. Pavlov showed new reflexes to stimuli can be established through mechanisms of association. Mind operates like a reflex, people do things in pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain.
