Behavior’s Influence on Biology

One of the basic tenets of psychological science holds that the biology of our brains heavily influences our actions, behaviors, judgments, and more. But what if we reverse that premise and examine an opposite supposition: that our choices and decisions may influence our physical neural structure? Several prominent psychological scientists examine this bidirectional equation. The following researchers will speak:

• Darlene D. Francis, University of California, Berkeley. Her research delves into how biological, psychological, and social developments throughout people’s lives combine to influence their susceptibility to disease or illness.
• Adam H. Gazzaley, University of California, San Francisco. Gazzaley’s cognitive neuroscience research lab focuses on the biology of memory, attention, and perception; developmental psychology; normal aging and dementia; and how we might therapeutically address the issues of cognitive deficits.
• R. Alison Adcock, Duke University. Her research at the university’s Center for Cognitive Neuroscience explores the links between motivation, emotion, and memory and the brain systems that affect them.
• Daphne Bavelier, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Her research involves using behavioral and brain imaging techniques to collect data which help explain how humans learn and adapt to changing circumstances.