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EB Ver Hoeve's picture

Making the connection

For me, the problem comes in the translation. It seems that other classes tend to examine the initial interaction or the final reaction, but no one has dared to explain the complex processes in between. For instance, Intro Bio freshman were introduced to the concept of the action potential, setting up the solid groundwork for more upper level bio and chem. courses. Perhaps because of this, I never really had a hard time understanding the battery analogy because it had already been “put together” for me. Similarly, Intro to Psychology examined how to interpret and explain social interactions and human behavior. Perhaps because of this, I was very intrigued by our mind vs. brain discussions. However, I feel like with this class (a cross between the biology and the psychology), we have the time and we need to make the commitment to actually discuss the translation. Of course, we have yet to examine the observations that show how a specific action potential causes a specific behavioral change, but I am intrigued and excited for us to make that step. I am also genuinely curious about how the brain/CNS/PNS’s translations are resulting in social behavior. I am especially interested in the boundaries of these translations and the capabilities of the action potentials. So, I am ready to accept the battery metaphor as a foundation prior to moving on to discussions where we will begin to make the real connections.

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