Biological Psychology- Blakemore and cooper and Maguire Flashcards

Question

What are the strengths of the sample in blakemore and Cooper

Answer 1

However, the brains of cats have similar structures to human brain, allowing for some representation of brain plasticity in humans.

Answer 2

The study shows both nature and nurture, therefore, is highly interactionist, which is incredibly useful as it expands our understanding of how innate factors interact with learnt behaviour to form what we do. Nature provided the kitten with neurons with a preferred orientation and they were also born with a fully formed visual cortex so this was innate.

Answer 3

Nurture- The restricted and manipulated environment in which the kittens were raised had a significant impact in terms of how the visual cortex developed e.g. the opposite neurons to the environment were not firing. So the kittens visual neurons adapted to their environment- leant

Answer 4

Extremely useful in helping us to understand functional brain plasticity and the impact the environment has on brain development. This could one day potentially lead us to develop practical applications on how best to train the brain to correct many behaviours

Answer 5

But what can we really learn from animals about the plasticity of the human brain? Especially because of the limited sample, what can we really learn about plasticity in other animals if anything? Also, the environment they were raised in is so unrealistic and cannot be applied to other particular environments of animals or humans

Answer 6

Scientific equipment (electrode) measures neurophysiology= High objective High controls - the ability to establish cause and effect between a specific change in the environment and whether that impacts upon behavioural and physical blindness Highly standardised= Procedure can be easily replicated

Answer 7

However, the qualitative data collected in the lab when measuring behavioural blindness may have been misinterpreted so may have been subjective

Answer 8

To some extent, the study by Blakemore and Cooper is useful, as it enhances our knowledge of functional brain plasticity and how the environment can influence the development of the brain during the critical period of life. For example, Blakemore and Cooper found that the kitten raised in an environment were it saw only horizontal contours, could not recognise or respond to any vertical objects or contours after the experiment, showing it’s visual cortex had plasticised due to it’s environment. This is highly useful, as we can use this knowledge to educate students on the importance of exposing themselves to knowledge that they will need in exams or later in life, in order to avoid their brain cells and neural pathways from weakening. However, the study lacks usefulness due to the unrepresentativeness of the sample and lack of generalisability to human brain plasticity. For example, the sample consisted of 2 kittens, during the critical period for cats which is 0-3 months. It found that the kittens raised in the horizontal environment couldn’t see vertical shapes or contours, however, we cannot generalise these findings to human babies during their critical period, reducing the practical applications that could be created towards brain plasticity in humans. This is a weakness as this lack of population validity doesn’t allow biological psychologists to enhance their understanding of brain plasticity in humans, limiting the extent to which the conclusions can be used on a wider scale.

Answer 9

One strength of the study by Blakemore and Cooper is the highly scientific nature, as objective quantitative measures were used to measure brain plasticity in kittens. For example, an electrode was used and placed in the kitten’s visual cortex in order to gather objective measures regarding the neurons and whether or not they were firing, allowing them to find that the kitten raised in the horizontal environment had no vertical neurons firing that were vertically orientated. This is a strength of the study as it allowed Blakemore and cooper to make scientific conclusions that are based on data that cannot be misinterpreted, increasing the reputation of psychology as a science. However, a weakness of the study is the lack of external reliability due to the small sample size and inability to check for consistency. For example, only 2 kittens were used throughout this experiment, meaning that only 2 sets of data were collected. Despite the data being quantitative and therefore easier to check for consistency, the small sample size limits Blakemore and coopers ability to establish high external reliability, as they have limited data to compare. This is a weakness as it limits the ability to be certain whether larger numbers of kittens would have the same plasticity effects if they were exposed to the same limited environment, reducing the replicability of the findings and scientific nature of the results

Answer 10

The study is a lab experiment as the kittens were kept in an artificial controlled lab in order to be tested and there was a manipulated independent variable, whether the kitten was in the horizontal or vertical environment, and a measured dependent variable, their visual and physical blindness.

Answer 11

The study by Blakemore and Cooper may be considered unethical because the kittens were exposed to psychological harm as they were in darkness from birth, causing distress and emotional harm to the kittens.

Answer 12

One physiological finding was that the electrodes indicated that the kittens that had been in the vertical environment had no neurons that preferred horizontal contours firing and vice versa.

Answer 13

Blakemore and Cooper researched the brain plasticity of the visual cortex of kittens based on their early visual experiences. (1) 2 kittens were used and kept in darkness from birth. (1) Then after a 2-week period, they were exposed to either a horizontal or vertical environment in a purpose made cylinder for 5 hours of the day until the age of 5 months which was past the critical period. (1) It was found that after this period, the kittens that were in the purely horizontal environment had no neurons firing that preferred vertical contours. This links to the key theme of brain plasticity as the findings illustrate that the kitten’s visual cortex plasticised to prefer the environment and visual contours that they had been exposed to. (1)

Answer 14

The biological approach assumes that all behaviour has a physiological origin and is caused by genetics that we inherit, however, the way in which these genetics demonstrate themselves is due environmental experiences. Blakemore and Cooper link to the biological approach as their findings illustrate that the kitten’s visual cortex plasticised due to the environment they were raised in. They were all born with a normal functioning visual cortex in which all contours were preferred and recognised, however, due to the horizontal or vertical environment exposure, the kitten’s visual cortex changed and the neurons only preferred the contours they had been exposed to. This illustrates that their innate physiological factors were changed by their environmental experiences.

Answer 15

Blakemore and Cooper tell us that functional brain plasticity does occur based on the environment we are exposed to. This is illustrated as depending on which environment the kittens were exposed to, only horizontal contours or only vertical contours, their visual cortex plasticised so that the neurons only preferred the contours they had been exposed to.

Answer 16

The researchers used an independent measures design and so different kittens participated in each condition. This does not control for the confounding effects of individual participant variables, where differences in genetic predispositions for visual development and the rate of such development may have been the reason for differences in brain development, rather than the changing visual environment. This therefore reduces the validity of the conclusions drawn. `

Answer 17

One of the major structures of the limbic system which is charge of navigation

Answer 18

Maguire was inspired by previous research that had been done, specifically by Blakemore and Cooper about functional brain plasticity, however, she wanted to expand on this and research structural brain plasticity. She wanted to investigate the hippocampus, which is a major part of the limbic system in charge of navigation. Previous research had suggested that the hippocampi of some animals grows in size during times when their navigational and special reasoning skills are exercised more often. However, there had been no research illustrating whether human brains would plasticise as a result of environmental changes, therefore, Maguire wanted to investigate this further and the best people to use were London Taxi Driver as they had to learn ‘The Knowledge’ of London and had much navigational experience.

Answer 19

To investigate the differences in the brains of London taxi drivers and a control group who were not taxi drivers.

Answer 20

16 male taxi drivers Healthy all right handed Mean age of 44 years Taxi driver job duration hof 14.3 years

Answer 21

16 male non taxi drivers All right handed Mean age of 44 years No medical neurological or psychological health problems

Answer 22

Matched participants with independent measures

Answer 23

The naturally occurring IV of whether the participants were taxi drivers or not

Answer 24

Taxi drivers or not taxi drivers

Answer 25

The volume of the hippocampus

Answer 26

Maguire conducted a correlational analysis of the size of the hippocampus of the taxi drivers and the length of time they had been in their profession.

Answer 27

Selected from the structural MRI scan data base at the same unit where the taxi drivers were scanned

Answer 28

an automatic procedure that "normalises" the scans to a template to eliminate overral brain size as a variable and then identifies differences in grey matter density in diff regions of the brain

Answer 29

Compared the volume of anterior body and posterior cross sections of the taxi drivers hippocampi with those of a previosuly age gender matched sample of 16 controls

Answer 30

Near the front

Answer 31

Near the back

Answer 32

In the centre

Answer 33

Showed no sig difference between the brain of the 2 groups but Taxi drivers had significantly greater grey matter in their right and left posterior hippocampi compared to controls In the controls there was a relatively greater grey matter volume in their right and left anterior hippocampi compared to taxi drivers

Answer 34

Taxi drivers had a significantly greater posterior hippocampal volume than controls on both sides Controls had a significantly greater anterior right hippocampal volume than the taxi drivers and a significantly greater hippocampal body volume on the right than the left

Answer 35

As the years taxi driving increased the volume of posterior hippocampi increased so positive correlation However as the years taxi driving increased the volume of anterior hippocampi decreased

Answer 36

There are regionally specific structural differences between the hippocampi of licensed London taxi drivers compared to those who do not drive London taxis- shows evidence of brain plasticity Also indicate the possibility of local plasticity in the structure of a normal human brain which allows it to adapt in response to prolonged environment stimuli

Answer 37

High control over extraneous variables due to matched pairs design- used to match key charecteristics which may have affected the hippocampus like age gender and right handed so removed ind differences Correlational analysis was done to establish the relationship between the volume of grey matter in the hippocampus and time as a taxi driver-

Answer 38

Quasi experiment so there will always be individual differences that are not accounted for as participants cannot be randomly allocated to conditions due to naturally occurring IV so impacts internal validity

Answer 39

Using males removes gender being an extraneous variables

Answer 40

Androcentric sample so gender bias so dont know the brain plasticity of female taxi drivers All live in London- area bias based on location so we dont know the brain plasticity of taxi drivers in different locations

Answer 41

Quantitative data colllected so increases external reliability as easier to check for consistency to establish trends and patterns The use of highly technical equipment like the MRI scanner allows for objectivity

Answer 42

No qualitative data collected so reduces insight into hippocampi so reduces usefullness

Answer 43

Carried out according to BPS guidelines so no ethical concerns- participants not deceived and informed consent was given due to volunteer sample

Answer 44

Process of having an MRI can cause anxiety and emotional harm so protection of participants could be somewhat violated

Answer 45

Matched based on gender and age so removes individual differences high in internal validity Researcher blind to conditions to previous researcher bias Correlation was also run to further support the findings of the experiment

Answer 46

Low control over extraneous variables as participants would not usually have an MRI scan in their daily lives as taxi drivers

Answer 47

High internal reliability- standardised procedure like how all men had the same MRI scan and same software was sued to analyse them High external reliability- generates quantitative data and also scientific and objective equipment used like MRI scanner to check for consistency

Answer 48

No qualitative results so reduces insight into the hippocampus External reliability could be low due to the fact that the sample was quite small and no women were used so no room for wide comparison for results or comparison of female hippocampal volume

Answer 49

Could argue that spatial demands of the hippocampus in response to our environment is affected by the anatomy of the brain which is not ethnocentric as found in humans from all cultures

Answer 50

Only using taxi drivers situated in London so we dont know about the hippocampal volumes in taxi drives in different cultures

Answer 51

Maguire used London Taxi drivers as they are frequent navigators, meaning that their hippocampi will be exercised everyday whilst they are working, as the hippocampus helps with navigational skills.

Answer 52

One finding was that the taxi drivers had a larger volume in their posterior hippocampi, which is in charge of navigation to frequently visited locations, compared to the controls who had a relatively larger anterior hippocampus. (2) Also, she found that other than this difference, there were no significant differences in the volume of any other region of the brain in the taxi drivers and the controls. (2)

Answer 53

A positive correlation is the trend that as one co variable increases, as does the other. For example, Maguire found that as years taxi driving increased, so did the volume of their posterior hippocampus.

Answer 54

One control was that all of the taxi drivers and controls were male. This is because there is some evidence that the structure of the male and female brain is different. The control is important so that the gender of the participant doesn’t become an extraneous variable, and so the independent variable of taxi driver or not is the only thing impacting the volume of their hippocampus.

Answer 55

One similarity between the two studies is that they are both highly scientific as they both use objective scientific equipment. In Blakemore and coopers study of the plasticity of the visual cortex in kittens, they used electrodes in order to objectively measure the function of the neurons in their visual cortex, allowing them to find that the neurons firing were only the ones matching the environment they had been raised in. Similarly, in Maguire’s research into the hippocampi of taxi drivers and non-taxi drivers, she used VBM, a new scientific objective technology which measured the whole of the hippocampus in an MRI scanner. This allowed her to find that the volume of the posterior hippocampi of taxi drivers was larger than non-taxi drivers. However, one difference is that Maguire is more generalizable than Blakemore and Cooper based on the sample. Generalisability is the extent to which we apply the findings of research outside of the research e.g. to the wider population. In Blakemore and Cooper’s research into the visual cortex of kittens, the research was done on kittens, meaning we cannot apply the findings of that fact that the neurons of the kittens only preferred the contours of the environment they were exposed to, to humans. On the other hand, Maguire’s study on the volume of the hippocampus, she did this research on human taxi drivers, therefore, the findings that the posterior hippocampus of regular navigators such as taxi drivers is larger, can be applied to other humans.

Answer 56

Maguire studied the volume of the hippocampus of taxi drivers to see if it was different to non-taxi drivers. She used 16 male taxi drivers who were all right handed and mentally well and matched these individual differences with a group of control males, who were all non-taxi drivers. She used an MRI scanner and VBM technology to measure the volume of the hippocampus of the experimental and control group and compared them. She found that the volume of the posterior hippocampi of the taxi drivers was larger than the control group, linking to the key theme of brain plasticity as this clearly illustrates that structural brain plasticity can occur based on environmental navigational experience

Answer 57

Biological psychologists suggest that although behaviour had a physiological origin and genetic information is inherited, the environment an individual is in can alter how genetics are demonstrated (1). Maguire’s study examined structural brain plasticity in London taxi-drivers vs non-taxi drivers, and found that taxi drivers had significantly greater grey matter volume in their posterior hippocampus (responsible for spatial navigation of routes already visited) in comparison to controls (1). Maguire therefore links to the biological approach as she explores the innate brain region of the hippocampus, which is part of everyone’s physiology; yet the way in which the volume of this region of the brain plasticises is due to the environmental experiences we have e.g. taxi drivers have vast navigational experience of London, leading to increased volume in this region. (2)

Answer 58

To a large extent, Maguire enhances our knowledge of brain plasticity through social diversity, as although Blakemore & Cooper examined functional brain plasticity in cats, Maguire examined a different social group of humans to assess structural brain plasticity. For example, Blakemore and Cooper investigate the functional plasticity of the visual cortex in kittens and found that if the kitten had only been exposed to a horizontal environment during the critical period of life, then their vertical neurons did not fire or have any activity. However, this research was not applicable to human brains. Still, Maguire enhances our understanding of social diversity as she explored structural plasticity in a different social group - by assessing the volume of the hippocampi in human taxi drivers, finding that the volume of their posterior hippocampi was significantly larger than the control group. Thus, showing that the human brain is also capable of plasticity due to environmental demands. Maguire’s research is therefore much more useful, as we can apply these findings to humans and encourage brain training and the importance of exercising certain regions of the brain as we know now that they will plasticise based on the environmental activity we participate in.

Answer 59

Maguires study can be considered highly scientific as it has the use of scientific equipment which allows for quantifiable measures. For example each of the 16 taxi drivers and non taxi drivers were given an MRI scan in order to measure the volume of their hippocampi and objective software like like VBM and pixel counting were used to measure this. This is a strength for the study as Maguire was able to objectivly measure how our environment can alter the structure of the brain increasing the reputation of psychology as a science However the study may be seen as to lack scientific rigor due to the use of a correlation meaning we cannot establish cause and effect between co variables. For example maguire found a positive correlation between years taxi driving and volume of posterior hippocampi however we cannot isolate these variables as their may be other factors impacting its relationship such as dispositional factors like intelligence. This is a weakness as it limits our abilities to find a cause of hippocampal volume limiting the scientific conclusions of research into structural brain plasticity

Answer 60

Maguires study can be considered reductionist to some extent however it is largely a holistic study as it considers the interaction between nature and nurture when exploring structural brain plasticity. For example, Maguire found that the innate size of the hippocampus that we are born with when interacted with the environment and navigational experiences the volume can increase and structural plasticity can occur. This is a strength as looking holistically at brain plasticity can enhance peoples knowledge on how they can manipulate their environment like by training their brains in order to change the innate volume of their grey matter and become improved at a certain skill However the study can be seen as reductionist on some level as the main focus is the biological and innate factor of the brain and how it can plasticise. For example, Maguire focuses mainly on how our physiology can change and grow by comparing 2 different groups of men both who have different navigational experiences. This is a weakness as a reductionist approach to research can be seen as deterministic as Maguire suggests that the volume of your hippocampus can predetermine your navigational skills removing choice from the individual

Answer 61

Maguire study is considered useful to a large extent due to the fact that the findings of brain plasticity in the hippocampus improve our academic knowledge of the changes of brains in humans. For example Maguire found out that the hippocampi of taxi drivers increases over time as they progress through their career as a taxi driver. In paticular the posterior hippocampi which is in charge of frequently visited locations. This is a strength as of the study as these findings allow us to develop practical applications to promote the importance of exercising parts of the brain as they will grow stronger On the other hand Maguires study can be seen to lack usefullness due to the fact that the sample is very specific to a certain type of navigator therefore reducing population validity. For example Maguire experimental sample were 16 London taxi drivers all of which have a paticuler navigational skill of the streets of London and nowhere else meaning we cannot apply these findings to different navigators who have to navigate different environments. This is a weakness as it reduces to ability to be able to apply these findings to all navigators in order to see consistency of brain plasticity of all hippocampi and not just one group of men

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Biological Psychology- Blakemore and cooper and Maguire Flashcards

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