PSYC 2230 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Brainstem, Thalamus, Histamine

• School: York University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2230
• Professor: Frank Marchese

Document Summary

Arousal theory: arousal is on a continuum, behaviour changes with higher arousal. Inverted u function/ yerkes-dodson law: arousal for si(cid:373)ple ha(cid:271)itual tasks, arousal for (cid:272)o(cid:373)ple(cid:454), (cid:272)og(cid:374)itive tasks, too much reduces performance. Reticular activating system: nerve cells in central core of brain, runs from the level of the medulla through the thalamus, electrical stimulation led to changes in the cortex that was the same changes seen caused by external stimuli. Proof that ras is causes activating in an organism: ras has necessary inputs of trigger arousal, cuts permeant sleep, ras sends fibers to the whole cortex, part of the brain circuitry. He(cid:271)(cid:271)"s theor(cid:455: sensory info has 2 purposes, cue function to provide info, arousal function to arouse. If cortex is not aroused, cue function has no effect: ex. Psychophysiological measures: arousal is multidimensional and independent, physiological mechs in the mid brain that are involved with arousal of the organism, the sleep- wake cycle and alert attention to the environment.