From Neurons To Neighborhoods
Working in the field of education, I have encountered students who have learning disabilities, emotional problems that cause disruptive behaviors in the classroom, and student who show a lack of self-regulation. Knowing the complete history of the child will assist me with determining the types of interventions needed for the student. In addition, a complete history of the student will help with recommending services for the student. Understanding the parts of the brain and the functions of each is helpful for understanding the behaviors of the student and when making classroom management decisions. For this paper, I will compare and contrast relevant points for the Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime and From Neurons to Neighborhoods, followed by my reaction to both books.
Comparison
Both books primarily used Caucasian people in their studies. Shonkoff and Phillips (2010) explain how future regulation behaviors depend on previous connections between babies and their keepers. The participants for the infant sleep pattern studies mainly consisted of Dutch and North American Caucasian mothers. Another study conducted by the authors of From Neurons to Neighborhood also focused on exploring the emotional development of students as well as how students express themselves primarily used Caucasian children. The researchers …show more content…
should have included children from varying socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds because evidence shows that there is a notable difference in the ways students learns how to understand and communicate their feelings.
Another similarity I noted for both books was how people's emotions influence their behaviors and how they communicate their feelings. Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) detail how emotions provide the basis for human affection and showing prosocial and antisocial behaviors when associating with other children and adults. Raine (2013) explains that the hippocampus regulates more than a person's memory and learning. The hippocampus is a crucial part of the limbic system that also controls emotional behavior, which has a connection to destructive and antisocial behavior in people. Similarly, Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) note that the differences in individual's temperaments and emotions are rooted in biology. People's feelings are directed by the early-developing parts of the nervous system that also includes the limbic system.
The authors of both books explored the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure to the fetus in the womb. Additionally, they defined prenatal exposure to chemicals and drugs that are damaging to the fetus's developing nervous system as developmental neurotoxins (Raine, 2013, Shonkoff & Phillips, 2003). The effects of neurotoxins on the developing fetus have significant consequences for the infant when he or she is born. Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) found mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, placed their child at risk for facial deformities, loss of neurons, and impaired cognitive functioning. In addition, the authors noted that not all babies that had mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy would have long-terms effects, however, the babies that are born with problems that persist throughout the child's life.
Similarly, Raine (2013) details the effects of fetal alcohol exposure.
The brain scans of children suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome are examined. The brain scans show that the right hippocampal volume is smaller when compared to the left hippocampus volume. The hippocampus abnormalities are found in psychopaths. Furthermore, structural depressions located in the region of the hippocampus are a crucial component in psychopaths’ autonomic response and fear conditioning. The hippocampus and limbic system are critical for controlling a person's emotions and regulating emotional behavior. Criminals have deficits in the
hippocampus.
Contrasting
Raine (2013) used adoption and twin studies to show how a person's genetic heritage predisposes the person to a criminal lifestyle. Whereas, Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) noted that children with parents with an affective disorder are themselves at risk for the same disorders or issues. However, this risk is not associated with a genetic heritage but related to the child's entanglement with the parent's unpredictable nature and the problems that arise from the child trying to navigate the emotional needs of the guardian. The progression of dysfunctional emotional behaviors in children is attributed to a dysfunctional parent-child relationship early in the child's development.
In addition, dysfunctional parent-child relationships leave the child at risk for emotionally associated disorders. Although the authors of both books wrote about the effects of fetal alcohol exposure, Raine (2013) primarily focused on how a damaged hippocampus related to psychopaths and explained their lack of emotion. Shonkoff and Phillips (2003), centered on how fetal alcohol syndrome affected the child's neurobehavioral development and the effects of biological insults. A difference between the two books was that The Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime mainly used Caucasian men, whereas, From Neurons to Neighborhoods primarily used Caucasian females and children in their studies.
Reflection
My analysis of both books revealed themes that were prevalent for both books. The authors of both books focused on Caucasian people when conducting studies. Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) noted that the studies should have included children or adults from varying socioeconomic and cultural background because there are noticeable differences in the ways students learn and how they communicate their feelings. As an educator, I need to use evidence-based instructional practices that meet the diverse requirements of every student in my classroom. In addition, the narrowness of the studies makes me wonder how useful and practical the information is for a population that is made up of diversified cultures. Raine's overall theme is that violence has a biological root and basis. Whereas, Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) noted that the differences in the individual temperaments and feelings are rooted in biology.
As an educator, understanding how the hippocampus and the limbic system affects the behavior of students is essential for addressing classroom management issues and disruptive behaviors seen in the classroom. Although, both authors differed on some ideas, the most relevant theme that both authors agreed upon is the effects of neurotoxins on brain development and the hippocampus and limbic system. The hippocampus is part of the limbic system. The hippocampus regulates learning and memory. The Limbic system controls emotions. As an educator, understanding how defects in the hippocampus and limbic systems effects students’ emotional behavior and learning process is essential for classroom management.
Comparison
Both books primarily used Caucasian people in their studies. Shonkoff and Phillips (2010) explain how future regulation behaviors depend on previous connections between babies and their keepers. The participants for the infant sleep pattern studies mainly consisted of Dutch and North American Caucasian mothers. Another study conducted by the authors of From Neurons to Neighborhood also focused on exploring the emotional development of students as well as how students express themselves primarily used Caucasian children. The researchers …show more content…
should have included children from varying socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds because evidence shows that there is a notable difference in the ways students learns how to understand and communicate their feelings.
Another similarity I noted for both books was how people's emotions influence their behaviors and how they communicate their feelings. Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) detail how emotions provide the basis for human affection and showing prosocial and antisocial behaviors when associating with other children and adults. Raine (2013) explains that the hippocampus regulates more than a person's memory and learning. The hippocampus is a crucial part of the limbic system that also controls emotional behavior, which has a connection to destructive and antisocial behavior in people. Similarly, Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) note that the differences in individual's temperaments and emotions are rooted in biology. People's feelings are directed by the early-developing parts of the nervous system that also includes the limbic system.
The authors of both books explored the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure to the fetus in the womb. Additionally, they defined prenatal exposure to chemicals and drugs that are damaging to the fetus's developing nervous system as developmental neurotoxins (Raine, 2013, Shonkoff & Phillips, 2003). The effects of neurotoxins on the developing fetus have significant consequences for the infant when he or she is born. Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) found mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, placed their child at risk for facial deformities, loss of neurons, and impaired cognitive functioning. In addition, the authors noted that not all babies that had mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy would have long-terms effects, however, the babies that are born with problems that persist throughout the child's life.
Similarly, Raine (2013) details the effects of fetal alcohol exposure.
The brain scans of children suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome are examined. The brain scans show that the right hippocampal volume is smaller when compared to the left hippocampus volume. The hippocampus abnormalities are found in psychopaths. Furthermore, structural depressions located in the region of the hippocampus are a crucial component in psychopaths’ autonomic response and fear conditioning. The hippocampus and limbic system are critical for controlling a person's emotions and regulating emotional behavior. Criminals have deficits in the
hippocampus.
Contrasting
Raine (2013) used adoption and twin studies to show how a person's genetic heritage predisposes the person to a criminal lifestyle. Whereas, Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) noted that children with parents with an affective disorder are themselves at risk for the same disorders or issues. However, this risk is not associated with a genetic heritage but related to the child's entanglement with the parent's unpredictable nature and the problems that arise from the child trying to navigate the emotional needs of the guardian. The progression of dysfunctional emotional behaviors in children is attributed to a dysfunctional parent-child relationship early in the child's development.
In addition, dysfunctional parent-child relationships leave the child at risk for emotionally associated disorders. Although the authors of both books wrote about the effects of fetal alcohol exposure, Raine (2013) primarily focused on how a damaged hippocampus related to psychopaths and explained their lack of emotion. Shonkoff and Phillips (2003), centered on how fetal alcohol syndrome affected the child's neurobehavioral development and the effects of biological insults. A difference between the two books was that The Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime mainly used Caucasian men, whereas, From Neurons to Neighborhoods primarily used Caucasian females and children in their studies.
Reflection
My analysis of both books revealed themes that were prevalent for both books. The authors of both books focused on Caucasian people when conducting studies. Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) noted that the studies should have included children or adults from varying socioeconomic and cultural background because there are noticeable differences in the ways students learn and how they communicate their feelings. As an educator, I need to use evidence-based instructional practices that meet the diverse requirements of every student in my classroom. In addition, the narrowness of the studies makes me wonder how useful and practical the information is for a population that is made up of diversified cultures. Raine's overall theme is that violence has a biological root and basis. Whereas, Shonkoff and Phillips (2003) noted that the differences in the individual temperaments and feelings are rooted in biology.
As an educator, understanding how the hippocampus and the limbic system affects the behavior of students is essential for addressing classroom management issues and disruptive behaviors seen in the classroom. Although, both authors differed on some ideas, the most relevant theme that both authors agreed upon is the effects of neurotoxins on brain development and the hippocampus and limbic system. The hippocampus is part of the limbic system. The hippocampus regulates learning and memory. The Limbic system controls emotions. As an educator, understanding how defects in the hippocampus and limbic systems effects students’ emotional behavior and learning process is essential for classroom management.