Neurobiology and Behavior, Spring, 2010, Home Page

Hello, my name is Congwen. I'm a freshman biology major in Bryn Mawr. My most interested field of study is plant taxonomy, which seems unrelated to neuroscience. However, through our class discussions in the past two weeks, I find that my interest of organisms without nervous system actually helps me think about questions outside of the human world, and consider more about the interaction between human and the environment.

The three questions that I want to learn through this class are:

1. Is there a structural/genetic/material base for human morality and ethics?  In my intro bio Lab, we had some discussion on the topic; the answer seemed to be yes according to research on behaviors of chimpanzees. What I want to know is, how great the influence of "material" have? Does the theory drawn from chimpanzee behaviors also applies to ethics in a higher level, such as ethics generated from religion?

2. I'm very interested in science related to sleep and dreams. Why do some people need much more sleep than others?

3. Is there any literature on the brain activies of those people in a permanent coma? Do they still think? Can they sense pain?

*Sorry for the late posting. I had been having some issue with login process, and it's been solved now.

Hi, my name is Cathy and I'm a senior psychology major at Bryn Mawr. Although I'm a psychology major (and a senior), I never had a class about neurobiology, or any neuro- etc, because I'm not a biology person and I was scared of all the brains and neuro talks. But I'm feeling good about this class in that it's not a traditional science course and it's open to anything (correct?)

I don't know what neurobiology and behavior actually are, so I don't know what to expect or hope to be proven. But I guess I'm interested to related the psychological issues I've learned to the brain and why they are acting in ways they do. I'm currently writing a senior thesis on early lexical development of Korean toddlers and comparing it with US toddlers. I want to know how and what function does the brain do in terms of language acquisition and if they are different for people from different races, ethnicity, and cultures.

Relating to the cultural issues, I'm also very interested in cultural effects on people and their "identity" issues. I'm from Korea and I've been getting my education in the states since middle school (13 years olds). However, my family has always been living in Korea all those years, so I go back and forth between two countries at least once, mostly twice a year. And I realize many people, especially children growing up in two or more cultures wonder about their identity and have hard time labeling their nationalities. I don't know yet how this topic will relate and connect with neurobiology and behavior sense, but I hope I can look at this topic in more depth as this class progress.

Hello, I'm Riki and I'm a junior biology major and NBS concentrator. I wasn't really that interested in the brain and emergent mind until I found myself severely depressed early freshman year here. I have been medicated for milder but annoyingly persistent depression and disabling anxiety that leads to panic attacks (you'll probably never hear me speak in class because of this) since my freshman year of high school and am still medicated for all.

I think the term "mental illness" is ridiculous and often not helpful. I have yet to meet a neurotypical person. I wish mental differences weren't so stigmatized. They are more common than you think, and I wish people didn't have to be scared of sharing their own experiences, because if they did share, they would likely discover that they are not alone. I think talk therapy can be productive for everyone and should not be a subject of shame and weakness. I easily get confused about what terminology is most helpful for saying that someone has a mental disorder because most combinations make me feel uncomfortable.

I am curious about many things; most escape my slippery brain at the moment.

1. I heard about a theory that natural psychoactive drugs were/are important for the evolution of the brain, but I haven't looked into this yet

2. animal cognition (only read half of Temple Grandin's Animals In Translation)

3. to what extent skills can be developed via lucid dreaming

4. I read this article over break, and I think I would like to write one of my papers about brain farts and the default mode network

Hi, I’m a freshman at Bryn Mawr, and am thinking about majoring in Linguistics. My linguistics professor this semester referred to linguistics as a “primitive science,” and I think the description very apt: the field is so far behind other sciences (modern linguistics wasn’t established until 60 some years ago), but the yield from research will definitely bring new revelations concerning cognitive and neurological function. So far, I’ve read works that argue about the brain and cognitive function and evolution without really understanding a lot the science behind the arguments and case studies, and I’d like to be able to better discriminate between debates. Because so little is actually known about the brain, and the questions I have now are proven unanswerable (so far), I’m hoping the class will help me generate new intelligent and worthwhile questions.

Hi, I’m Natalie. I’m a Bryn Mawr sophomore biology major and am taking pre-med courses. I took psychology in high school and that made me interested in the complexity of the brain and how it works. What really got me was the fact that, despite all our research on the brain and central nervous system, there is so much about behavior, mental illnesses, language acquisition, etc. that we don’t yet know. I’ve taken linguistics courses and know a bit about syntax and the so-called “Language Faculty” (components of the brain that allow humans the innate ability to acquire and utilize language). I think I can bring some of this knowledge to our discussions.

A few questions I would like to investigate over the course of this semester are:
1) How do addictions or compulsions manifest in the brain? How do people become physically, mentally, and emotionally dependent upon a set of actions or drugs?
2) Jesika, I watch Criminal Minds too! This show has made me interested in the psychological disorders that individuals on the show have had. I would like to know more about dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia, in particular (i.e. what leads to a manifestation of these disorders, how do affected individuals perceive reality, how does treatment work, and why do individuals often stop taking their medication?).
3) What is the neurological/biological basis for personality? What makes a person introverted versus extroverted?
 

Hi I'm Marianne and I'm a junior. My hope is to become a veterinarian in the future. I'm actually very new to the idea about studying the brain. It was always interesting hearing about this topic but never had the opportunity to look deeper into it. I have a family member who we think suffers from Aspergers but never could get a firm diagnostic. I would like to hopefully understand the brain better and get a different perspective after taking this class.

1. I'm curious whether homosexuality solely manifests genetically or whether the brain plays a function as well?

2. What constitutes a person being brain dead?

3. What are some similarities and differences between a male and a female brain?

My name is Lauren McDonough and I'm a sophomore at Bryn Mawr College. I'm a pre-med biology major. I can bring into class some science behind the topics of behavior, but I am definitely interested in learning a lot more! I'm not currently sure which aspect of biology will likely be in my career path, but neurobiology has always been an interest of mine. I took AP Psychology in high school, but haven't yet had the chance to take a psychology class in college. This class merges pyschology and biology, so it can help relate to my major while still allowing me to explore pyschology. I'm most interested in how people think, act, and behave in every day life and the biology and chemistry behind it. I'm most curious about: 1) the chemicals and processes involved in how people behave 2) how the minds of people with mental diseases physically differ from the average central nervous system 3) how and why do certain drugs used to treat mental illnesses work better or worse than others? Why do people respond to treatments on different levels of success?

Hi my name is Carrie and I am a sophomore biology major with a possible NBS concentration. For years I have been interested in the differences between "normally" developed brains and those of individuals with mental disabilities. My sister has cerebral palsy and growing up with her has definitely been a learning experience. Her physical impairments, slow development, and delays are accompanied by an incredible ability to memorize, analyze, and learn at a rate not expected when she was born, a fact that has always fascinated me. I have also worked closely with children diagnosed with varying degrees autism. They too have surprising areas in which they seem to defy expectations and excel. Last summer I worked with rats (as I mentioned in class) and studied their response to medications used to treat schizophrenia. I think I have a lot of questions that this course could potentially answer, but three of them are: 1) Why/how do developmental changes in the brain lead to mental illness or disability? And how small/large do these changes have to be? 2) How can the treatment of mental illness be improved? 3) Do past experiences dictate what we deem acceptable behavior? How do we make such quick evaluations of another's behavior? 

Hi everyone, I'm Sarah Kim and I'm a sophomore History major and an intended biology minor, from Orange County, CA. Though seemingly unrelated, my own experiences and interests in the humanities and the sciences have shown me that the two coincide on a multitude of levels. History deals with the cultural,  anthropological, and, of course, historical aspects of what it means or meant to be human. Through history, we see what has occurred, how it has occurred, and why it has occurred: in essence, the evolution of how a set group of individuals have interacted in a given time frame.
I hope to explore the following:
Neurobiology assumes that we, humans, are biologically on the same page (we all have brains, spinal chords, etc). Why then, historically, have certain individuals responded to events in different ways?
Do innate biological responses determine our behavior? Or is behavior learned, through culture, through history, through bias? What do we really mean, then, by nature versus nurture?
We discussed earlier that there was a rise in cases of hysterics in the early 1900s then a sudden decrease. Are these cases (neurobiological cases/conditions in general), simply biological, or are they results of an earlier cultural context?

Hi! I’m Ali, and I’m a freshman at Bryn Mawr, from St. Louis, MO.  I’m thinking about majoring in either Biology or Chemistry. In high school I helped coach a middle school Science Olympiad team, which was made up mostly of students from the accelerated learning program. These kids are labeled as “gifted,” and in my experience their brains seemed to work differently than those of other students their age. They make connections and learn material differently, and many of them get into quite a bit of trouble as a result of being bored with their classes.  I am very interested in learning why and how this is the case, and how education can address the wide range of thinking and learning styles, especially in young students.

My three questions for this class are:

1) Why do people have different learning styles and why can some people remember information and make connections more easily than others?

2)What is intelligence and can it be measured? More specifically, is IQ testing a good measure of intelligence, and if not does a better one exist?

3)Why do people want/need religion? How does faith work from a neurobiological standpoint?

Hello my name is Jesika, I am a junior.  I am double majoring in anthropology and spanish.  As an anthro major I think that I want to learn more on how to understand the significant impact culture has on the way people think, act, and feel.  Because of that, I think it is interesting to see how culture and science relate in terms of how people act, think, and feel about themselves and the world around them.  I have a lot of experience working with children and have been able to work with child development professionals whom have taught me many things about child behaviour and growth. 

I hope to learn in this class more about:

1. autism and how it develops and why is it onset during childhood and not in adults?

2. Watching Criminal Minds (the show) makes me want to learn more about the thoughts behind "criminal" actions and feelings and how they are developed in the brain, especially with situations where certain objects, smells, tastes etc, trigger a person to commit a crime (for example: one episode shows a murderer being completely normal, and it isn't until he smells or sees bleach that he starts killing people). 

3.  learn in general about mental illnesses and be able to understand them better

Hi I'm Sophie Balis-Harris and I am a sophomore Political Science major at Bryn Mawr. I don't really know exactly how much experience with related fields I can bring to this class, but I am excited about the material. I suppose that in Political Science we learn a lot about what motivates groups of people to act in certain ways, which relates to this course. 

1.  I was recently reading an article in the NY times that discussed how without the use of calendars or natural indicators of time our "internal clock" is very skewed, and how the brain can skew time based on emotions- meaningful or painful experiences can often seem more recent than they actually are simply because they are important parts of our recent memory. I thought the article was an interesting addition to our class discussion of how time is a social construction, and it made me wonder exactly how much of the world around us is a construction of the brain?

2. One of my concentrations within poli sci is peace and conflict studies, and we often discuss the ways that average people can be driven to commit horrific acts of violence in times of conflict. I often wonder if this capacity for violence is hidden within us all, and simply switched on during conditions of extreme duress or if there is something more to it. In short, I suppose I would like to learn a little bit more about the role of the brain in violent behavior. 

3. I also find pyschosomatic illnesses very interesting- how is it that our emotions can dictate our physical well being, and why is our mental health linked so heavily to our physical health?  

Hey, I'm Tessa. Premed student majoring in math. I appreciate math, but would never label it a passion of mine.  I like medicine more, or think I do.  Applying for med school now. We'll see how that goes...Taking a year off before I matriculate to do some exploring and leave the academic, grade obsessed world.  My interest in medicine led me to volunteer in the Neurosurgery Unit at UPENN, which was, well, for me, kind of boring, probably because I never got to see a brain or surgery.  Now, I'm in the ER which I find way more exciting. So what makes me unique? Music, I guess. Have played the piano for 15 years now and sometimes I think I would be completely satisfied playing the piano in a jazz bar for the rest of my life. Could be fun, you know, play some piano, drink some good beer, meet some interesting (or creepy) people.  Because of my music background I have always been interested in music and the brain.  Anyone read any Oliver Sacks books? Musicophilia, I think, is fantastic.  Also, growing up right outside of Yosemite, as mentioned in class, I have a huge passion for the outdoors - hiking, climbing, backpacking, camping.  I always feel so contented in a natural, organic environment. Yosemite, and nature in general, really brings out a spiritual, increasingly aware, and present side of me.  I always wonder how our brains would be wired if we were not so consumed with technology, development, and structure.  I feel like the more developed we become, the less connection we have with the natural world.  Anyone see Avatar?  I think the way in which avatars feel and connect with their surroundings isn't a unique avatar quality.  I think humans have that power.  I mean, think of Native Americans and their connection with the land. These days, the natural, the spiritual, the connection is clouded by science, development, and technology. Why? What draws our brains to all this?  I wish we could be more like avatars...

Alright, questions (I'm not sure these are the MOST important, but very relevant to me at this stage in the game)...

1. How is my brain different from a man's brain? Are we opposites? Can we ever truly agree? Is there any hope for mutual understanding that goes beyond the physical and sexual? 

2. What do women consider sexual and attractive versus what men consider sexual and attractive? What accounts for any difference in opinion? How has the porn industry and media influenced, even ruined, our ideas of what is sexual?

3. What kind of connection does the brain have with nature?  Has the brain evolved to be less in touch with the environment?   

Hello, I'm Saba and I'm a sophomore potentially majoring in math and minoring in biology from central New Jersey. I am particularly interested in the material offered in this course because I have basic knowledge about the nervous system, but I am always interested in learning about the nervous system in larger detail. Since a young age, I have been interesting in going into medicine and can potentially see myself dealing with the nervous system. I have volunteered in a hospital for a couple of years and am about to volunteer in a hospice center very soon. I am interested to see how this course will influence my experience dealing with hospice care. I have specifically found mental and emotional illnesses to be very intriguing along with the power childhood experiences have on a person's behavior as an adult. Taking this into consideration, some of the questions I hope this course can answer are:

1. Why do certain childhood experiences (e.g. verbal/physical abuse) affect the way an individual behaves in their adult life?

2. What causes certain mental and emotional illnesses such as anxiety and personality disorders and can they ever be completely treated?

3. Can some mental illnesses be passed on genetically and why are some more prevalent in certain societies? For example, why does the United States have the highest eating disorder rates?

 Hello all,

My name is Kate Gould and I am majoring in English, minoring in Biology. I am, technically, a junior but because of a medical leave my freshman year I am missing a semester of work. This will be completed in the Fall semester of 2011. I am originally from Massachusetts, from a little 

I love science writing and, actually, most writing in general. There is almost no book that you could give me that I wouldn't want to read (save for romance novels and... a certain series concerning blood-suckers). I am unique, I suppose, in that I do not see a sharp delineation between science literature and other literature. For me, English and Biology is not an odd choice for studying because English is, itself, a look at biological processes in the writer and the reader. How we form language, interpret language, actually observe and refine what we read-- that is science. Not only that, but the content-- why we write what we do, what it means to be writing in that time period, if there are any evolutionary processes coming through in the work (literary Darwinism).

Vice versa, I take offense at the idea that all science writing is stuffy and dull. I mean, certainly, some of it is (lab manuals, so on) but a lot of it is actually very interesting. How can you read Darwin's Origin and not appreciate the beauty of the language? Beyond the content, consider the form... the diction and syntax and, in a lot of cases, the tongue-in-cheek humor that pervades popular science lit. For the purpose of this course, I recommend anything by Oliver Sacks and V.S. Ramachandran-- renowned clinical neuropsychologists whose writing is on par with their deductive medical skills. Anything by Mary Roach is also excellent.

I want to learn more about perspectives and how we develop our "Crack" over time; the process by which religious tendencies are (if at all) linked to brain activity; and looking at depression in terms of thought processes. 

 Hello, my name is Kathy.  I am a senior biology major and geology minor.  My primary interest in the field of biology is evolution and development, and I am hoping that I will be able to apply the concepts that arise in this course in my future studies.  I am also an actor and an avid science fiction enthusiast, both of which have contributed in my interest in belief and the suspension of disbelief.  I want to learn more about why people believe in some things and don’t believe in others.  

A few questions I am interested in exploring:

1.  Why are people so drawn to science fiction as a genre?  Is it because it is escapist and unrealistic or because it is unsettlingly plausible?  

2.  Is it possible (or even desirable) to completely know how each person's mind works?

3.  Are humans as superior to all other life on the planet as we assume?   

I am not unique in that I am a biology major from Los Angeles; however, I did spend many summers at Cal Tech analyzing the development of quail embryos. Though I did not focus on the brain (I focused on the liver, stomach, and the lungs), I was still able to see how the quail developed in each embryonic stage. In other words, I have a very basic sense of embryonic development.

In terms of questions, I am honestly not sure if any of my questions could be definitively answered-I think that they will generate more questions. Honestly, this is fine with me.  That fact allows me to explore even more interesting topics. These questions, however, I would like to have addressed and explored.

First of all, is there such a thing as a human-exculsive behavior? In other words, are any of our behaviors actually unique? Another question I would like to ask is to what extent are certain diseases over-diagnosed and what is the line that needs to be crossed for a diagnosis to be made? For example, when does a simply hyper and overactive child become a child with ADHD? Finally, if every person's behavior can be explained by analyzing his or her brain structure and development, does this mean that he or she can't be blamed for his or her actions? Does morality fall out of the picture because people may be set to act a certain way? These are the questions that I would like to look at, and though I know that they probably won't be answered, I still think that they are questions that we should explore.

 Hi, I'm Morgan and I'm a Sophomore here at Bryn Mawr and am a biology major. I have learned a little about the development of the brain from my developmental biology course last semester and decided that I wanted to learn some more about the nervous system.   I guess what I'm really interested in is all of the different synapses that can be formed and created as you grow and all of the chemical signals and reactions that occur in order to help the body function and respond to certain things. At the moment I can just describe my own experiences with my brain of remembering and reliving most of the times when I have been embarrassed and remember most of the people that have been mean to me and yet never remember many of the people that were nice. Three questions: Why do you remember some events and not others? For example talking to my parents my mother says that i have visited the Grand Canyon and yet I have no recollection while my brother who is two years younger than me remembers a storm that occurred while we were there. I guess I would also like to know how to improve my memory? What do I need to do in order to be able to use a little more of my brain then I am at the moment? Why do you only use a small percent of your brain? I guess I'd also like to pursue how studying an animals brain and reaction may help in understanding human brains and reactions? 

I am very excited for the rest of the semester in hearing about everyones thoughts and ideas and also expanding on my knowledge. 

Hello! I'm Hannah and I am a Comparative Literature major (studying Latin, Ancient Greek and English Literature) at Haverford. My major alone - which in name seems very distant from this course's topic of exploration - speaks to the "distinctive experiences" I have had academically that I hope will enrich and underline my study of neurobiology. I look forward to witnessing the interactions between the ancient humanist tradition and our contemporary understanding of the brain: my primary interest in this course resides in the exploration of whether the two disciplines - Classics and Neurobiology - will prove to be antithetical or, more likely, complementary. I have also engaged philosophical and literary texts which addressed the subjects of identity and consciousness during last semester's Humanities Center seminar "Fashioning the Self: The Problem of Narrative and Achievement", so I hope to introduce my understanding of those texts into relevant class discussions. Lastly, my perspective on this course may be unique because I have worked closely with individuals with special needs: my older sister, Chloe, is mentally retarded and I used to provide in-home care for an autistic child named Matthew. This personal but totally unscientific connection with developmental delay/difference has recently manifest itself in an interest in the abnormalities that lead to disability, so I hope to examine such topics in this course.

My big questions:
1. Though I'm not exactly framing this as a question, I would like to explore the emerging field of "biopoetics" and the rationalization of literature and art. What is the role of literature in terms of the understanding of the mind and its biology? Where do text and mind intersect?
2. How much of our concept of "identity" resides in biological functions and events? How much do neurologists and neurobiologists understand about the roots of choice, one of the primary aspects of traditional Western notions of identity?
3. How have recent scientific explorations of consciousness unfolded, and how do these discoveries relate to philosophical texts addressing consciousness? How do thinkers like Searle and Dennett fit within the framework of neurobiology and behavior? What is the place of philosophy of mind within the field neurobiology (and vice versa)?

 Hi, I'm Emily. I am a BMC Sophmore Biology major and am thinking about doing the NBS concentration. I am pretty much in love with visual science (Raven-- we should talk! Your thesis sounds so interesting!). I have a little bit of knowledge about vision from all sorts of standpoints (such as art history, philosophy, metaphysics, anthropology, etc.) from a visual studies class I took last semester which I hope to bring to the table to enhance conversation this semester. 

Raven-- your thesis sounds so interesting! One of my important questions which I hope this class could potentially answer is what you stated above: "How is this liquid filled ball able to receive light, send this electrical information to the brain and then our brains create an image and inform our actions all from this liquid filled ball"? In other words, how is light translated into such specific comprehension of our surroundings? Another question I have that stems from this one is what are thoughts? How does "electrical information" turn into words, voices, memories, and images in our head? And where does all of this "electrical information" for such thoughts come from? Finally, I am curious to learn more about reality and virtual reality. Although this is not a question that I think really has an answer, how do we know that our senses are giving us accurate knowledge about the world around us and what do we consider accurate knowledge?

I can't wait to see what this class has in store! 

Hi. My name is Megan and I’m a freshman at Bryn Mawr. I am thinking about majoring in biology and I have an interest in pre-med. I am from Tenafly, NJ. As an EMT, I have had the distinct experience of dealing with patients suffering from mental illness and exhibiting erratic behavior. I have a great interest in the human brain and behavior.  My three most important questions are:

1. What causes mental illness and how can it be treated more effectively? Why do antidepressants work for some people and not for others?

2. What causes us to love? If chemical processes play a role in when two people fall in love then do they also play a role when two people fall out of love?

3. What controls behavior? Is it simply just the brain or do other factors play a role?

 Hi my name is Raven and I am a Haverford Senior Biology Major. I am working on my thesis now which is about axon guidance in the developing visual system. I have always been really fascinated with the eye and how it works. I was reading an excerpt from Darwin's Origin of Species and he questioned the same thing I have always questioned. How is this liquid filled ball able to receive light, send this electrical information to the brain and then our brains create an image and inform our actions all from this liquid filled ball. I guess there are a lot of questions Neurobiology and Behavior studies can answer while there are some questions that are a lot harder to answer. Like questions about depression. How do we study depression, something which many philosophers would consider uniquely human, in rats? How, physically, are neurotransmitters connected to behavior? How do we characterize illnesses such as depression? Does depression vary in human individuals? There are so many questions that researchers have to consider in their studies. 

My name is Megan. I'm a senior Psychology major with a Neural and Behavioral Sciences Concentration. I'm writing my thesis about anxiety so I hope that I can bring that experience, and the knowledge I gain from it, to relevant conversations in class.

The three most important questions I hope neurobiology will be able to address are:

1. I once wrote a paper on schizophrenia and I remember that there are usually differences, observed with an MRI, in the physical structure in brains of people who have schizophrenia and those who do not. Will there ever be a test to screen for schizophrenia? Or some way to reverse the physical changes to the brain as the disorder progresses? If these physical abnormalities could be reversed, would the disorder then dissipate?

2. What plays a more important role, genetics or environment, in the etiology of a mental illness?

3. We have already discussed that there are chemicals involved in the process of falling in love/courtship. Can these chemicals help people choose platonic relationship candidates? Are the chemicals that are found to be responsible for feelings of romantic love also involved when someone chooses people to befriend?

Hi I'm Andy. I am a Postbac here at Bryn Mawr. I grew up west of Boston and graduated from Middlebury in 2008 (Economics). After college I spent a year working as a paramedic in Vermont and with Middlebury freshmen in a counseling/crisis management role. I am very excited to explore the science behind many of the issues I had to confront (with admittedly little training). Issues I am particularly interested to learn about in Neurobio: a.) How are genetic diseases manifested in the brain? How can this knowledge affect treatment? b.) Eating disorders- I spent a lot of time working with students on this topic and would like to know about the physiological and behavioral factors that predispose people to this illness. Could a more in-depth understanding of brain chemistry and relative neurology affect treatment plans?  

c.) How does the brain age? As Grace mentioned above, I would like to know about the neurological changes we undergo throughout our life. What factors might accelerate or slow these changes? (a different philosophical discussion: would we want to accelerate or slow these processes if we could?) 

Hi Everyone. I'm Liz, I'm a sophomore biology major, with a pre-med interest. One main aspect of my life that I believe will have an impact on how I view this course is my upbringing. I'm from a very small, rural, conservative town, and I've found that to definitely affect the way I view the world. Also, I recently started seriously becoming interested in the philosophy of yoga and mediation, and I'm interested to see how that type of thinking will fit into the area of neurobiology. 

As far as questions I'm hoping this course will answer, 

1. a basic one, How do each parts of the brain play a role in what we think or do?

2. I'm very interested in certain psychological differences between males and females. How do our physiological differences impact our psychological ones as well? 

3. Finally, what specific aspects of our brain make us different from other animals similar to us? What is it that gives humans the ability to reason and speak? 

 Hello! My name is Michelle and I am a sophomore Chemistry major.  I can bring in my CSEM experience into the conversation this semester.  The CSEM I took was "Food for Thought" and we spent a lot of time discussing choices, such as how we go about making them and the reasoning behind why we make the choices we do.  We also talked about illusions and how we perceive the world we live in, so I have been exposed to some critical thinking that relates somewhat to this course.

My three questions that I hope this course will be able to answer is: 1. How mental illnesses affect the brain and how are they shaped by culture (their diagnosis and frequency in countries)? 2. How do we go about making everyday decisions in life and what is the science behind motivation? 3. How are genes related to emotions and supposedly "learned" habits we gain from our environment?