Homework Option #8
Motivation and Emotion

Assignment requirements: Answer 1 of the following 6 questions in as much detail as possible using specific examples and definitions. Be sure to justify your responses with information from class or from the text. Please be sure your answer is no less than 1 full page and no more than 2 full pages of type-written text. If you choose to complete this assignment it must be emailed to me before the beginning of class on April 19.

  1. Taking a Clinical Look at Emotions by Joseph LeDoux, one of the top neuroscientists at this time, discusses how our actions, thoughts and emotions all stem from changes that occur at the level of the synapse. Read the article and discuss the new information that you learned in relation to the material we covered in class thus far. Discuss the points in the article that you found most interesting.
  2. Read the Society for Neuroscience Brain Briefings entitled: Sugar Addiction . The article discusses how our brain influences our food cravings with neurotransmitter levels. Be sure to summarize the article but also to discuss what you thought was most interesting or applicable to your life.
  3. Read the Society for Neuroscience Brain Briefings entitled: Bliss and the Brain. The article discusses how the brain responds to happiness and why it feels so good.Be sure to summarize the article but also to discuss what you thought was most interesting or applicable to your life.
  4. Read the Society for Neuroscience Brain Briefings entitled: Love and the Brain to better understand strong bonds of love and attachment. Be sure to summarize the article but also to discuss what you thought was most interesting or applicable to your life.
  5. Which brain regions are involved in knowing how a person feels? Read Reading Faces to find out.Be sure to summarize the article but also to discuss what you thought was most interesting or applicable to your life.