Measurement of Neurons Personality Traits Evaluation - Assignment Example

Psychology Psychology Describe the basic functioning of a neuron beginning with receiving signals from other neurons or sense organs and ending with the transmission of a signal to another neuron. Explain how a pattern of neuron firing is related to behavior. The neurons are the basic information process units in the central nervous systems and are critical in understanding how the body functions and how it guides the process of thinking, decision-making personality traits and muscular movement coordination in an individual. Consequently, understanding brain function and dysfunction requires an understanding of how the neurons process and pass information between themselves. Neurons are constantly collecting information from both external and internal environments, evaluating such information and hence determining the current needs of an individual (Nicholls, 2012). Communication between nerves is triggered by a coded signal triggered by a given stimulus along the membrane of a neuron from where the stimuli is applied creating a nerve impulse, which is passed from one neuron to another through a nerve. The process of passing a signal from one neuron to another involves two processes that process the nerve impulse, which are, electrical and chemical processes. The electrical process transmits the signal within the neuron, while the chemical processes propagates the signal across two neurons. Each neuron is composed of two receptor mechanisms referred to as Axon and Dendrites (Nicholls, 2012). The axon of one neuron is in contact with the dendrites of the other neuron and these contacts are referred to as synapses. The synapse is a gap between one neuron and the other and a connection between the two neurons is enabled through chemical processes. Once a signal is propagated within a neuron through electrical signal, it reaches the synapses, where the chemical processes lead to formation of neurotransmitters, which are small molecules that diffuse across the space between the neurons and activate receptors on the surface of the other neuron forming the synapse, where the activated receptors trigger an electrical signal of the same intensity to transmit the signal across the next neuron (Gundelfinger, et al., 2006). Without the chemical process and the formation of neurotransmitters, the signal would not continue and hence would not require or influence any action in the body. Neuron firing also referred to as action potential is the process through which neuron is stimulated to the level of triggering a signal to be transmitted across the neural system and consequently require action by the body of a person. Consequently, a given level of stimulation must be reached in order for a signal to be transmitted otherwise such stimulation will not cause any signal across the neurons. The body cannot act without the right information from the brain and hence neuron firing, which ignites the information processing process, is key in determining behavior as it relays the messages for action in the body. 2. Describe one personality trait that you believe to be highly heritable (mostly a product of genetics) and another trait that seems to be much less so. Provide reasons for your answer, and explain why you would expect genetics to exert a much greater impact on some personality traits than on others. Personality traits refer to habitual behavior in an individual, which uniquely define him/her. According to Jordan (2011), personality traits can be grouped into five categories referred to as the Big Five Personality traits, which are used to define a given personality. These categories are the openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeable and neuroticism abbreviated as OCEAN. These traits can be hereditary or non-hereditary. The hereditary traits indicate that genes are responsible for such traits, while the non-hereditary traits can be attributed to environmental factors (Jordan, 2011). However, existing studies on heritable traits have been inconclusive, with some studies attributing some traits to genes while others attributing the same traits to environmental factors. Neuroticism is one of the personality traits, which can be greatly attributed to heredity. Neuroticism refers to the tendency of an individual to experience negative emotions, stress, anger, anxiety or depression (Jordan, 2011). This personality trait is one of the traits, which can be hereditary to a greater percentage. Although heredity cannot be solely attributed to neuroticism and that environmental factors can be contributing factors, the argument is that heredity plays a greater role in the trait. Different studies that have studied neuroticism have come with different conclusions but majority find gene heredity as a major factor. For instance, studies show that women are more likely to be more emotionally unstable as compared to men. In this case, women are more likely to be anxious, stressed and depressed when exposed to difficult circumstances as compared to men. Women are genetically different from men and this can effectively show that it is in the genes that women are more emotionally unstable. An example of a trait, which cannot be easily attributed to heredity, is conscientiousness, which is the ability to show self discipline, act dutifully or aim for achievement are more environment instigated than hereditary. In this case, environment plays an important role in directing a person’s personality to this trait. For instance, children born in rich families or among high achieving siblings are more likely to also be high performers with a will to achieve more than those born in poor backgrounds (Jordan, 2011). Genetics exert more impact on some personality traits than others do as such traits can be more easily linked to gene make up of an individual (Jordan, 2011). For instance, mental conditions that run across a family are a clear indication of gene influence. Consequently, in such situations, the environment plays a minimal role in determining the personality of an individual, which already defined in their genes. 3. You have been hired by a large public school system to construct a musical aptitude test. Describe how you would standardize your test and assess its reliability and validity. Explain why it might be more difficult to develop a valid musical aptitude test than a reliable one. In order to create standardized musical aptitude tests, it is important to follow proven theories and methodologies. One of the most researched and tested approaches to musical aptitude test is the Musical Aptitude Profile (MAP), which has three parts broken down into sevens subtests making up a musical aptitude test. The three parts and their subsets include PART I: Tonal Imagery (Melody and Harmony); PART II: Rhythm Imagery (Tempo and Meter); PART III: Musical Sensitivity (Phrasing Balance and Style). Following the Musical Aptitude Profile guideline allows the construction of standardized aptitude tests, which are able to identify (Boyle & Radocy, 1987)musical ability or lack of in those who undertake them. Further, having a standardized test ensures that the aptitude is fair and consistent across a wide array of groups taking such test. In such a case, the tests have a higher degree of validity and reliability and hence highly applicable in a large public school. Like many other aptitude tests, it is difficult to test the validity and reliability of musical aptitude tests. In this case, validity refers to the correctness of a set of information, while reliability refers to the ability of data to be consistent even in repeat tests. In this case, it is not easy to have valid and reliable musical aptitude tests, as there are many variables, which may affect both aspects of the test (Boyle & Radocy, 1987). For instance, one of the most famous musical aptitude test known as the seahorse’s measurement of musical talent has been criticized for being unreliable as it is affected by variable such as a student’s motivation, mood, confidence and other variables. Consequently, the fact that these variables affect the reliability of the test puts a lot f questions on its validity. It is therefore important for a musical aptitude to be able to remain consistent even when exposed to different variable, which may influence the outcomes of the test. In addition, aptitude tests should not be used to discriminate against students. The importance of musical aptitude tests is in their ability to identify the unique needs of each student for the teachers to focus on these needs to ensure the students perform in their music classes. For instance, using the MAP approach, a student may perform well in Melody and Harmony and not perform as well on the Tempo and Meter (Boyle & Radocy, 1987). In such a case, the teacher is able to concentrate on the Tempo and Meter needs of the students to improve their musical aptitude. 6. When your friend hears that you are taking a psychology course, she asserts that psychology is simply common sense. Explain why common sense is not the best way to understand human behavior. Describe the methods of science and explain why they are superior to common sense in understanding human behavior. By definition, psychology refers to the scientific study of human mind and mental status and human and animal behavior. In the other hand, common sense refers to practical and sound judgment informed by experience rather than study. In the process of understanding mental state and human behavior, psychology offers evidence for to support theories and hypothesis. In coming up with evidence to explain human behavior, psychology considers many factors including personality traits, genes and environment to explain human behavior. On the other hand, common sense is a shallow and tries to use logic to explain human behavior. In the event that one common sense logic does not effectively explain a given phenomena, the person shifts to another logic (Kelley, 1992). More than often, no common sense logic can explain a given behavior and the individual often decide such phenomena does not make sense and thus accepts it as an anomaly. Consequently, psychology as a scientific study helps find explanations and conclusions on human behavior, which a consistent and predictive, which is a shift from the non-predictive and subjective common sense approach (Kelley, 1992). Common sense bases its arguments and explanations to can be referred to as common consensus or what majority view as a common understanding on a given issue. Such common understanding lacks scientific support and more often than not contradicts itself. For instance, what can be common sense to one group may not make sense on another group (Kelley, 1992). This may be caused by cultural differences and other factors, which may affect what is common sense to each of the two groups. References Boyle, J. D., & Radocy, R. E. (1987). Measurement and evaluation of musical experiences. New York: Schirmer Books. Gundelfinger, E. D., Seidenbecher, C. I., & Schraven, B. (2006). Cell communication in nervous and immune system. Berlin: Springer. Jordan, M. E. (2011). Personality traits theory, testing and influences. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Kelley, H. H. (1992). Common-Sense Psychology and Scientific Psychology. Annual Review of Psychology , 43 (1), 1-24. Nicholls, J. G. (2012). From neuron to brain (5th Edition ed.). Sunderland, Mass: Sinauer Associates. Read More