Page 643 - Understanding Psychology

Skills Handbook
Reading and Making Graphic Organizers
A graphic organizer is a type of diagram that shows the relationship among ideas and helps you organize information in a visual context. A graphic organizer can make abstract ideas more concrete and help you better understand the ideas and terms you are studying. A graphic organizer can show the interaction of a series of events, present a hierarchy of procedures, or describe the steps in a process.
Graphic organizers come in many forms. There are network trees, concept webs, events chain maps, cycle concept maps, and others. There may be more than one way to construct a graphic orga- nizer. As you make a graphic organizer, you may realize that there is a better way to show the infor- mation on a map. In that case, change the format or how the information is displayed. Graphic organizers can be used to help you review and study information.
The graphic organizer below is a network tree. To read it, begin by reading the term at the top of the network tree that shows the main concept—the nervous system. Next, find the two divisions of the nervous system—central nervous system and peripheral nervous system—that branch out from the main concept. Now look at how the parts of these divisions branch out. Finally, see how the divisions of the autonomic system branch out.
MAIN CONCEPT
Brain
Apply the Skill
Construct a graphic orga- nizer. Choose one of the following main concepts, or choose your own. Use information from your text and the steps in Learn the Skill to help you make your graphic organizer.
Divisions of the Nervous System
Nervous System
Visual Literacy Skills
Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
Spinal cord
Autonomic system (controls involuntary activities)
Somatic system (controls voluntary activities)
Parasympathetic system (calms body after emergencies)
Sympathetic system (prepares body for action)
Learn the Skill
Follow the steps below when creating a graphic organizer.
1. State the main concept.
2. Branch the related concepts from the main
concept. Use lines to connect the branches.
3. Continue to branch out more specific details from the related concepts.
4. You may write words on the lines to help explain the relationship of related concepts.
Endocrine System Classical Conditioning Processes of Memory Development of Language Changes in Old Age Personality Theory
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