In science, a “model” is simply a way of explaining something. So models of the brain are attempts to explain functions during particular times of life or particular conditions. For example, children’s brains are considered “plastic”; this doesn’t mean they are actually made of plastic but that while children are growing & developing their brains are flexible, good for all sorts of learning.
In adolescence the body is in the process of rapid change to that of an adult, with “raging hormones”; it has been thought that people in this age group should think logically & act maturely but it has been found that their brains are still developing and that functions such as planning & seeing consequences of actions are “not all there” till later.
In pregnancy the brain is likewise subjected to an onslaught of hormonal activity and in some ways appears to “shrink”, yet new mothers have usually increased plasticity in their brains after childbirth, at least for awhile. There are several differences between male & female brains, some undoubtably due to hormonal influences, and behavior.
In addition, there have been differences between homosexual & heterosexual brains, particularly in symmetry; some research shows the brains of heterosexual men and homosexual women are slightly asymmetric—the right hemisphere is larger than the left—and the brains of gay men and straight women are not.
No comments:
Post a Comment