Introduction
The relationship between brain functioning and human behavior is complicated. This topic is part of biological psychology, a field that explores the relationship between the biological process and the way people think. The frontal lobe is a part of a human brain that is in charge of the essential cognitive skills and abilities. As a result of its activity, humans can resist impulses and act in accordance with the goals they have set for themselves. This paper will examine the relationship that characterizes brain functioning, more specifically the frontal lobe, and human behavior.
Literature Review
The examination of the frontal lobe functions remains to be an essential theme in understanding human behavior. The frontal lobe, as suggested by the name, is an area located at the front of the cranium or a person’s braincase. It should be noted that it consists of two parts, left and right – each having a different function. The right frontal lobe is of particular interest for this paper, because it is responsible for the non-verbal functions.
For example, According to Badre and Nee (2016), “the frontal lobes are important for cognitive control, yet their functional organization remains controversial” (p. 170). The left part is connected to the language-related skills of an individual. Badre and Nee (2016) refer to the fact that the impact of the frontal lobe on the decision making, goal setting, and other behavior has been proven by scientists, however, the exact impact of the frontal lob requires further investigation. More specifically, this refers to the hierarchical structures of the different neural networks because it is perceived that the interaction between them affects the completion of various tasks.
The frontal lobe’s role is an essential structure of the brain that accounts for essential elements of an individual’s behavior. In their article, Barde and Nee (2016) state that the frontal lobe has an essential meaning for the cognitive function of control. Moreover, humans can engage in dreaming about an idea and developing a specific plan for achieving the aim, which is the goal-setting function of the frontal lobe. Other essential functions, for example, behavior in new situations and actions that go against a person’s habits, are also a result of the frontal lobe’s activity.
Therefore, the concept of cognitive control or the ability of a person to overcome initial impulses and adhere to the behavior that will help him or her achieve a set goal is connected to the function of the frontal lobe. Barde and Nee (2016) state that this function has a “close dependency on the frontal lobes and their associated systems” (p. 170). A critical hypothesis in this context is the rostrocaudal organization, which explains the hierarchy of neural networks in the frontal lobe. The processing function of the rostral-to-caudal flow allows people to set abstract goals and act accordingly to achieve them. This suggests the top-down pathways that are connected to the stimuli and response to it through behavior.
The nature of the research conducted by Barde and Nee (2016) is an examination of evidence that tests different types of hierarchical control, necessary to perform daily tasks. In essence, such actions require one to perform a sequence of actions, each with its own goal, for the benefit on a superior aim. To further tests the hypothesis, Barde and Nee (2016) examined different approaches to identifying the types of hierarchy that determine the way in which the frontal lobe functions. The conclusions suggest that there are several dynamic subsystems within it that consist of local networks and allow individuals to engage in and perform complex tasks.
Arguably, based on this article, one can conclude that the frontal lobe is essential for the behavior. The variety of behavior elements are connected to the way the frontal lobe functions since it defines the personality of an individual. His or her emotions develop as an outcome of the functioning of this element of the brain. Therefore, the social behavior of an individual, including how they interact with others, learn, perform at school and work, and achieve goals are all connected to the frontal lobe (Barde & Nee, 2016).
The previous paragraphs examined how the frontal cortex affects a person’s actions in regards to set goals and habits and suggests that injuries of the frontal lobe can severely impair thee functions. Lengenfelder et al. (2015) examined the issue of brain injury and its impact on the psychological well being of a person since over 1.7 million people in the United States suffer from this condition. The main implication for this research is the fact that this area of the brain is highly vulnerable to mechanical damage.
Moreover, such issues lead to long-term consequences, connected to the cognitive functions and a person’s behavior. Lengenfelder et al. (2015) provide an example of mild car accidents that usually result in the described damage, and as a consequence, executive functioning tests point out these impairments. The core elements of this function are selecting a goal, planning to achieve it, performing sequences of actions, monitoring results, and self-regulating. Additionally, functions of learning and memory are also affected by the injury of the frontal lobe.
One can argue that among all issues that arise as a result of frontal core damage, behavior change is the main problem that requires additional investigation. Lengenfelder et al. (2015) point out issues with socialization and connected activities. Additionally, frontal lobe damage is often associated with personality changes because it leads to increased impulsivity and aggression that was not present before. This results in difficulties associated with the social reintegration of a person after they recover from an injury. In essence, the connection between the frontal lobe human behavior is the association of the functioning of this element with core behaviors.
As suggested by the previous research, proper functioning of the frontal lobe has an impact on a person’s behavior since it impairs the neural networks that determine personality traits and stimuli control. Rayner et al. (2015) dedicated their research to the aim of determining the impact of the frontal lobe impairments on the mood and emotions of subjects, examining both self-reported outcomes and factual data.
The authors explain that the frontal lobe contains intrahemispheric networks, for instance, the cognitive control network. Additionally, the mood-regulating affective networks or AN that are responsible for a person’s emotional well-being are located in this area of the brain. As a result of damage or impairment due to disease, frontal lobe dysfunction can lead to depressive mood states and reduced cognitive flexibility.
Therefore, similar impairments correlate with the changes in a person’s behavior since the neural networks that were responsible for responses to stimuli are damaged. Rayner et al. (2015) state that damage to this element can “disrupt large-scale cognitive or affective networks, giving rise to different neurobehavioral profiles” (p. 225). People with frontal lobe impairments also perform poorly on tests associated with the need to recall connections between people, time, and objects. This suggests that the frontal lobe plays a vital role in determining a person’s behavior.
The examined evidence provide several implications for understanding the relationship between brain and behavior. Firstly, a person’s behavior is a result of their cognition and the thoughts and ideas they have. This information, through the neurological connections, allows individuals to establish a specific line of behavior they perceive as usual. Notably, people may have behavior traits, more specifically habits, that they are unsatisfied with, and the functionality of the frontal lobe allows the to change these behaviors.
Finally, damage to the frontal lobe as a result of an injury or disease affects memory, behavior, and mood of an individual. Therefore, a person is likely to behave differently after they have undergone an injury because of the impairment of cognitive functioning. This information suggests that more research into the relationship between the biological characteristics of the brain and psychological outcomes an implications is necessary.
Conclusion
Overall, this paper focused on the topic of brain and behavior relationships. The examination of the frontal lobe provided an understanding of its function in regards to goal setting and pursuing steps to achieve them. Additionally, the literature review suggests that more research is required to explore the exact hierarchy that guides the functional organization of the lobes. Damage to the frontal lobe can result in a person adopting new traits and having different behavior.
References
Badre, D., & Nee, D. E. (2018). Frontal cortex and the hierarchical control of behavior. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 22(2), 170–188. Web.
Lengenfelder, J., Arjunan, A., Chiaravalloti, N., Smith, A., & DeLuca, J. (2015). Assessing frontal behavioral syndromes and cognitive functions in traumatic brain injury. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 22(1), 7–15. Web.
Rayner, G., Jackson, G. D., & Wilson, S. J. (2015). Behavioral profiles in frontal lobe epilepsy: Autobiographic memory versus mood impairment. Epilepsia, 56(2), 225–233. Web.