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Psychology > Biological area: Maguire > Flashcards

Biological area: Maguire Flashcards

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1
Q

What was Maguire’s aim?

A

To investigate differences in the brain of London taxi drivers also to investigate the function of the hippocampus in the spatial memory of the brain (can it change response to learning)

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2
Q

What was Maguire’s experimental method?

A

Quasi experiment and a correlation

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3
Q

What evidence is there that Maguire’s study was a quasi experiment?

A

Sample of taxi driver was naturally occurring this was not manipulated by the experimenter

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4
Q

What experimental design was used?

A

Independent measures

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5
Q

Who made up the experimental group in Maguire’s study?

A

16 male taxi drivers

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6
Q

Describe 3 characteristics of the taxi drivers?

A

All right handed, all healthy and all male

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7
Q

What was the age range of the taxi drivers?

A

32-62

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8
Q

What was the name of the London taxi test which they had all passed?

A

‘The knowledge’

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9
Q

How long had the taxi drivers been licensed for as a minimum?

A

18 months - 42 years

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10
Q

Who made up the non experimental group in Magurie’s study?

A

The non-taxi drivers

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11
Q

How many MRI scans were selected and then how many of those were matched to the taxi drivers?

A

50 were selected and 16 of those were matched

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12
Q

Describe 3 characteristics of the non experimental group

A

All right handed, all healthy and all male

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13
Q

What are 2 strengths of the sample used?

A

Controlled for extraneous variables and consistent sample

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14
Q

What are 3 weaknesses of the sample?

A

Not very big, only men and not applicable to all ages

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15
Q

What type of brain scan was used and why?

A

MRI scan because they were choosing to calculate the volume of grey matter in the hippocampus

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16
Q

What was the 3D technique used to calculate the volume of grey matter in the hippocampus?

A

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM)

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17
Q

What does VBM allow for?

A

Allows for a computer program to calculate the volume of area, in this case the grey matter in brain structural MRI scans

18
Q

Who carried out the pixel counting?

A

One person experienced in the technique and blinded to the participants’ identity as a taxi driver or control

19
Q

How many slices was the brain scan split into for the purpose for pixel counting?

A

26

20
Q

How were the slices divided between the posterior, main body and anterior?

A

Posterior - 6 slices
Main body - 12 slices
Anterior - 6 slices

21
Q

Why were 2 ways used to analyse the data?

A

To improve concurrent validity and VBM was a new test so they wanted to make sure it was accurate

22
Q

What were some of the controls used in Maguire’s study?

A

Age, Gender, Right handed, Healthy, Passing the knowledge

23
Q

What were the results found from VBM analysis?

A

Taxi drivers had increased grey matter on both sides of the posterior hippocampus but a decrease in grey matter in the anterior hippocampus in both sides

24
Q

What were the results found from the pixel counting in regards to overall volume of the hippocampus between taxi drivers and non taxi drivers?

A

There was no difference in overall volume in both sides

25
Q

What were the results found from the pixel counting in regards to the anterior hippocampus?

A

Non taxi drivers had higher volume in the right side

26
Q

What were the results found from the pixel counting in regards to the posterior hippocampus?

A

Taxi drivers had higher volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus

27
Q

In terms of the correlational analysis, where was a positive correlation found?

A

Between the length of time as a taxi driver and the volume of grey matter in the right posterior hippocampus

28
Q

In terms of the correlational analysis, where was a negative correlation found?

A

Between length of time as a taxi driver (in months) and the volume of grey matter in the right anterior hippocampus

29
Q

What did Maguire’s study show in terms of regional differences in the brain?

A

That there were regional differences between the structure of the hippocampus in taxi drivers to the control group

30
Q

What idea did Maguire’s study support?

A

The idea that the brain has changed in response to the demands of being a taxi driver because as time spent in the job increases so does the demand on spatial memory

31
Q

According to Maguire’s study, does the brain have plasticity and what can it do?

A

Yes and it can change to meet the demands of the environment

32
Q

How do the findings support previous research using animals and patients with brain damage?

A

These findings are consistent with research on animals and also with patients who have suffered brain damage

33
Q

What are differences between the anterior and posterior hippocampus?

A

Posterior is involved with previously learned material whereas the anterior is linked to learning about new environmental layouts

34
Q

What are differences between left and right hippocampus functioning?

A

Suggests the right holds mental maps and the left holds memories and events not dependent on mental maps

35
Q

What does the correlational data not show about the hippocampus?

A

Doesn’t show changes in the brain over time

36
Q

Were any ethical guidelines broken by Maguire?

A

N/a

37
Q

Were ethical guidelines upheld by Maguire?

A

It was carried out according to the British Psychological society’s (1993) ethical guidelines so there were no concerns

38
Q

Was the procedure standardised and replicable? (internal reliability)

A

Highly controlled and collected quantitative data

39
Q

Was the sample large enough to suggest a consistent? (external reliability)

A

No, only 16 London taxi drivers analysed so it’s hard to see consistency

40
Q

Was it an accurate test of plasticity of the brain? (internal validity)

A

Yes highly controlled for extraneous variables

41
Q

On what grounds on Maguire’s research be accused of cultural bias?

A

Because only looked into taxi

42
Q

How/why might Maguire claim that their research is not ethnocentric?

A

Brain plasticity and the structure of the hippocampus is not likely to be specific to culture drivers in London

Psychology (38 decks)

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