biopsychology 2

Question 1

what are the four parts of the brain?

Answer 1

frontal lobe
parietal lobe
temporal lobe
occipital lobe

Question 2

where is the motor area and what is it’s function?

Answer 2

frontal lobe

regulates movement

Question 3

where is the somatosensory area and what is its function?

Answer 3

parietal lobe

processes sensory information

Question 4

where is the visual area and what is its function?

Answer 4

occipital lobe

receives and processes visual information

Question 5

where is the auditory area and what is its function?

Answer 5

temporal lobe

analyses speech based information

Question 6

where is Broca’s area and what is its function?

Answer 6

frontal lobe

speech production

Question 7

where is Wernicke’s area and what is its function?

Answer 7

temporal lobe

language comprehension

Question 8

what is the localisation of function theory?

Answer 8

due to Broca and Wernickes discovery and case of phineas Gage
suggests different areas of the brain are responsible for specific behaviours and processes
contrasted the previous holistic theory

Question 9

evaluation
localisation
strength : evidence from neurosurgery

Answer 9

damage to areas of the brain has been linked to mental disorders
Dougherty et al (2002) - 44 people with OCD had a cingulotomy (isolation of the cingulate gyrus)
after 32 weeks 30% had a successful response and 14% had a partial response
suggests behaviours associated with mental disorders and localised

Question 10

evaluation
localisation
strength : evidence from brain scans

Answer 10

Peterson and Peterson (1988) - used brain scans to show Wernicke’s area was active during listening task and Broca’s area was active during reading task
methods of measuring brain activity provide evidence for localisation

Question 11

evaluation
localisation
limitation : evidence for the holistic theory

Answer 11

Lashley (1950) - rags were learning a route through a maze
removed different amounts of their cortex (10-15%)
no area was more important in the ability to learn a route
learning required all parts of the brain
suggests the brain is distributed holistically

Question 12

evaluation
localisation
limitation : language localisation questioned

Answer 12

Dick and Tremblay (2016) - 2% of modern researchers think language is restricted to Broca and Wernicke
brain imaging techniques eg fMRI allow neural processes to be studied with more clarity
shows language is distributed holistically (right hemisphere is involved)

Question 13

evaluation
localisation
case study evidence - Phineas Gage

Answer 13

1848-impaled metal pole through left eye affecting most of his frontal lobe
damage altered his personality
suggests frontal lobe is responsible for mood
counterpoint- case studies are hard to generalise as it may be subjective

Question 14

what is lateralisation?

Answer 14

the two hemispheres function differently and control different functions

Question 15

what is the function of the left hemisphere in language?

Answer 15

main hemisphere that controls and analyses language

Question 16

what is the function of the right hemisphere in language?

Answer 16

can only produce rudimentary words and phrases
contributes to emotional context
known as the synthesiser of language

Question 17

what does cross wired mean?

Answer 17

the RH controls the left side of the body

the LH controls the right side if the body

Question 18

how is vision lateralised?

Answer 18

ipisilateral-controlled by the opposite and same side
both eyes receive light from LVF and RVF
RH is connected to both LVF
LH is connected to both RVF
aids in depth perception

Question 19

what is split brain research?

Answer 19

the surgical separation of the hemispheres to reduce epilepsy
allowed researcher to test lateralisation

Question 20

what was Sperry’s research on split brains?

Answer 20

1968-studied 11 people with split brains
showed an image on the RVF (processes by the LH) and vice versa
found when a picture was shown the the RVF the participant could describe it but not when it is the LVF
due to the hemispheres not being able to communicate
shows certain functions are lateralised

Question 21

evaluation
lateralisation
strength : lateralisation in connected brains

Answer 21

Fink et al (1996) - PET scans identified which brain area was active during visual tasks
RH was active when looking at global elements
LH was active looking at finer detail
suggests lateralisation

Question 22

evaluation
lateralisation
limitation : lateralisation of language may be wrong

Answer 22

Nielsen et al (2013) - analysed brain scans of 100+ people between 7-29 years old
showed no evidence of a dominant side during certain task

Question 23

evaluation
split brain
strength : research support

Answer 23

Gazzaniga (1989) - split brain participants perform better on certain tasks
eg faster at identifying odd one out
Kingstone et al (1995) - LH cognitive strategies are ‘watered down’ by RH
supports Sperry’s findings

Question 24

evaluation
split brain
limitation: generalisation issues

Answer 24

Sperry’s research was compared to neurotypical group who didn’t have epilepsy (confounding variable)
decreases reliability of findings

Question 25

what is fMRI?

Answer 25

functional magnetic resonance imaging
detects changes in blood oxygenation and flow due to activity in specific areas
haemodynamic response- when a area is more active it consumes more oxygen so blood flow is directed to it
produces 3D imagine showing which areas are involved in certain mental processes (localisation)

Question 26

what is EEG?

Answer 26

electroencephalogram
measures electrical activity in brain via electrodes fixed on scalp using skull cap
recording shows brainwave pattern from thousands of neurone showing overall brain activity
often used as a clinical diagnostic tool to show unusual arrhymthmic patterns and neurological abnormalities eg epilepsy tumours sleep disorders

Question 27

what is ERP?

Answer 27

event related potential
electro physiological response of brain to specific sensory cognitive or motor event
uses statistical averaging technique to filter out extraneous activity from EEG recording isolating eg performance of task/presentation of stimulus

Question 28

what is post mortem exams?

Answer 28

Brain is analysed after death to determine whether certain observed behaviours during the persons life can be linked to structural abnormalities
may be compared to a neurotypical brain to see difference 

Question 29

strengths of fMRI

Answer 29

does not rely on radiation making it risk free and non invasive
high spatial resolution (detail by the mm) providing a clear picture of localisation

Question 30

limitations of fMRI

Answer 30

expensive
Poor temporal resolution (5 sec time lag between image and neuronal activity) so doesn’t represent moment to moment to moment brain activity 

Question 31

strengths of EEG

Answer 31

useful applications e.g. studying the stages of sleep, diagnosing conditions e.g. epilepsy
High temporal resolution – can detect brain activity at a resolution of a millisecond

Question 32

limitations of EEG

Answer 32

generalised nature of information received from thousands of neurons
Cannot pinpoint exact source of neural activity so doesn’t allow researchers to distinguish the areas activity originates from

Question 33

strengths if ERP

Answer 33

more specificity to the measurement of neural processes then EEG
high temporary solution
Frequently used to measure cognitive functions and deficits e.g. allocation of detention and maintenance of working memory

Question 34

limitations of ERP

Answer 34

lack of standardisation and ERP methodology between different research studies making it difficult to confirm findings
Background noise and extraneous variables need to be eliminated – often hard to achieve

Question 35

strengths of post mortem

Answer 35

provided foundation for early understanding of key processes in the brain e.g. Broca and Wernicke and HM


Question 36

limitations of post mortem

Answer 36

causation issue – observed damage may not be linked to the deficits under review but to unrelated trauma/decay
Ethical issues of consent from individual before death (participants may not be able to provide informed consent e.g. HM)