Biological Level of Analysis

Question 1

HM case study (2008)

Answer 1

HIPPOCAMPUS - MEMORY

hippocampus links to ability to create new memories
evaluation of brain autopsy: possible to be thorough, can confirm diagnoses post mortem, only inference, only study structure.

Question 2

Maguire et al (2000)

Answer 2

TAXI DRIVER STUDY

increased grey matter in taxi drivers’ posterior hippocampus, smaller anterior. positive correlation between time as taxi driver & volume in right posterior.

Question 3

Raine et al (1997)

Answer 3

RAINE’S BRAINS

prefrontal cortex - lower activity = lack of impulse control
amygdala - asymetrical levels of activity = lack of fear
corpus callosum - lower activity = stop left brain inhibiting right’s violence.

Question 4

Luby et al (2013)

Answer 4

CHILDHOOD POVERTY

poverty associated with less white & grey matter, smaller hippocampus & amygdala. effects mediated by supported caregiving & few stressful life events

Question 5

Gais & Born (2004)

Answer 5

aCh & SLEEP

high acetylcholine needed for information to be retained in hippocampus, low needed to enter LTM.

Question 6

Caspi et al (2003)

Answer 6

SEROTONIN, 5HTT ALLELES

participants with 2 short alleles had more symptoms in response to stressful life events. relationship between stressful life events & depression, long alleles seem to protect against depression.

Question 7

Morhenn et al (2008)

Answer 7

OXYTOCIN, MASSAGE

massage increased sacrifice (money), amount of sacrifice mediated by change in oxytocin. touch increasing oxytocin more in women & their money sacrifice being higher.

Question 8

Zhou et al (2014)

Answer 8

LIGHT-POINT DISPLAYS

AND biased heterosexual women and homosexual men towards perceiving figures as masculine. EST biased heterosexual men towards perceiving figures as feminine. homosexual (& bisexual) women fell between. human visual gender perception results of subconscious chemosensory biological cues.

Question 9

Hare et al (2017)

Answer 9

GENDER-NEUTRAL FACE MORPHS

exposure to AND or EST had no effect on gender perception, attractiveness, or unfaithfulness ratings.

Question 10

Caspi et al (2002)

Answer 10

MAOA GENE

functional polymorphism of MAOA gene moderated effect of maltreatment. high activity = less likely to develop antisocial problems.
genetic mediation of environmental effect.

Question 11

Lemons et al (2015)

Answer 11

DOWN SYNDROME

girls significantly (& boy slightly) improved with adapted measures. shows functional relationship between adaption of test & learning.
environmental mediation of genetic disorder.

Question 12

Devlin et al (2008)

Answer 12

EPIGENETICS, PREGNANCY DEPRESSION

increased maternal depressed mood in second trimester correlated with reduced methylation of both maternal and infant SLC6A4 promoter (may lead too more reuptake of serotonin). demonstrated a link between environment & heritable epigenetic changes.

Question 13

McGuffin et al (1996)

Answer 13

TWINS DEPRESSION

MZ concordance rate = 46%, DZ=20%. strong genetic component to depression, no evidence suggesting it’s caused by a shared family environment. shorter episode in one twin increased likelihood of other twin suffering.

Question 14

Tully et al (2008)

Answer 14

KINSHIP, ADOPTIVE/NON-ADOPTIVE FAMILIES

association between maternal depression & risk for adolescent psychopathology present in both types of families. both genetic & environmental components.

Question 15

Clarke & Hatfield (1989)

Answer 15

APPROACH STRANGERS

request for date - 50% yes men & women
apartment - 69% yes from men, 0-6% yes from women
sex - 69-75% yes from men, 0% yes from women
women operate system of increased choosiness, men less bothered by potential risks