Bechara et al., 2000

Question 1

Biological approach

Answer 1

-localization of function
-techniques to study the brain

Question 2

Cognitive

Answer 2

thinking and decision making

Question 3

Research method

Answer 3

natural experiment

Question 4

Ethical consideration

Answer 4

anonymity and informed consent

Question 5

Aim

Answer 5

to see how damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) affects decision-making.

Question 6

Methods

Answer 6

-8 participants with lesions in the vmPFC and 17 healthy controls.
-participants played the “Iowa gambling task”.
-IGT has four decks of cards. players choose a card and it will have either high rewards/punishments or low rewards/punishments.
-participants have to win as much money as possible.
-the best strategy is to go low reward/punishment decks.

Question 7

Results

Answer 7

-patients with lesions in the vmPFC made impulsive decisions -high reward/punishment decks (i.e they only use system one).
-healthy controls identified the pattern and made decisions that were less beneficial in the short-term but more beneficial in the long-term (i.e they used system two).

Question 8

Conclusions

Answer 8

-the vmPFC plays an important role in system two thinking.
-there may be biological bases for the dual processing model.

Question 9

Systems 1 & 2

Answer 9

one: intuitive, automatic, fast, unconscious, and based on consequences.
two: rational, controlled, slow, conscious, and based on consequences.