Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

R E C A P / E V A L U A T E / R E T H I N K
R E C A P
How do researchers identify the major parts and functions of 
the brain?
• Brain scans take a “snapshot” of the internal workings of 
the brain without having to cut surgically into a person’s 
skull. Major brain-scanning techniques include the elec-
troencephalogram (EEG), positron emission tomography 
(PET), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 
and transcranial magnetic stimulation imaging (TMS). 
(p. 79) 
What are the major parts of the brain, and for what behaviors 
is each part responsible?
• The central core of the brain is made up of the medulla 
(which controls functions such as breathing and the 
heartbeat), the pons (which coordinates the muscles and 
the two sides of the body), the cerebellum (which con-
trols balance), the reticular formation (which acts to 
heighten awareness in emergencies), the thalamus 
(which communicates sensory messages to and from the 
brain), and the hypothalamus (which maintains homeo-
stasis, or body equilibrium, and regulates behavior re-
lated to basic survival). The functions of the central core 
structures are similar to those found in other vertebrates. 
This central core is sometimes referred to as the “old 
brain.” (p. 81)
• The cerebral cortex—the “new brain”—has areas that 
control voluntary movement (the motor area); the senses 
(the sensory area); and thinking, reasoning, speech, and 
memory (the association areas). The limbic system, 
found on the border of the “old” and “new” brains, is as-
sociated with eating, aggression, reproduction, and the 
experiences of pleasure and pain. (p. 84) 
How do the two halves of the brain operate interdependently?
• The brain is divided into left and right halves, or hemi-
spheres, each of which generally controls the opposite 
side of the body. Each hemisphere can be thought of as 
being specialized in the functions it carries out: The left 
specializes in verbal tasks, such as logical reasoning, 
speaking, and reading; the right specializes in nonverbal 
tasks, such as spatial perception, pattern recognition, 
and emotional expression. (p. 89)