Biopsychology Evaluation

Question 1

Strength 1 of localisation of function (sup evi)

Answer 1

I: Supporting evidence for localisation of language

E: Peterson brain scans show wernickes area active in listening task and Brocas in speech task

C: Increases validity

Question 2

Strength 2 of localisation of function (sup evi)

Answer 2

I: Supporting evidence for localisation of memory

E:Tulving found Episodic and semantic memory in temporal lobe in pet scans

C:More valid

Question 3

Weakness 1 of localisation of function (Contradictory evidence)

Answer 3

I: Language not confined to Brocas area

E:Dronkers MRI scan on tans brain- lesion in Brocas area but also others

C: less valid as other areas potentially also responsible

Question 4

Weakness 2 of Localisation of function (cont evi)

Answer 4

I: Contradictory evidence from animal studies

E: lashley- Found cognitive processes not localised to one area but involve all of cerebrum in rats

C:Less valid

Question 5

Strength 1 of Lateralisation of function (sup evi)

Answer 5

I: Supporting evidence from split brain patients

E: Sperry found left hemisphere geared towards verbal tasks and right towards spatial- Left for language right to identify the stimulus

C:Each hemisphere responsible for different functions

Question 6

Strength 2 of lateralisation of function (reliability)

Answer 6

I: Reliable

E:Sperry used lab conditions and standardised procedures such as presenting stimulus for one 10th of a second

C: Useful and well controlled procedure that can be repeated with consistent findings

Question 7

Weakness 1 of lateralisation of function (unrepresentative)

Answer 7

 I: Unrepresentative sample

E: Sperry Only used participants with history of epilepsy Which may have caused changes in the brain and some brains one more disconnected than others

C: Not generalisable to population

Question 8

Weakness 2 of lateralisation of function (eco val/mun real)

Answer 8

I: Lack ecological validity and mundane realism

E:Very few people with severed corpus callosum that also can’t see- Can compensate for loss using both eyes and skills that combine both sides of the brain

C:Not generalisable to real life

Question 9

Strength 1 of plasticity research (sup evi)

Answer 9

I: Supporting evidence for plasticity

E:Kuhn- Playing video games demands complex cognitive and memory skills- Increased grey matter in participants trained to play Super Mario for two months

C:Synaptic connections formed due to experience and learning

Question 10

Strength 2 of plasticity research (practical application)

Answer 10

 I: Practical applications

E: Rehabilitation e.g. movement therapy used to counter some of Deficits from damage

C:Valuable in helping lives of brain injury patients

Question 11

Weakness 1 of plasticity research (functional recovery depends on…)

Answer 11

I: Functional recovery depends on number of factors

E:Recovery in brain-damaged soldiers more likely in under 20s than those over 26 (60% to 20%)

C:Individual differences need to be taken into account

Question 12

Weakness 2 of plasticity research (negative effects)

Answer 12

I: Effect of Plasticity can be negative

E: 60-80% Amputees develop phantom limb syndrome where they experience unpleasant sensations in missing limbs as a result of somatosensory cortex reorganising

C:Not always adaptive

Question 13

Strength 1 of fMRI EEG and ERP

Answer 13

I: Non-invasive

E:Don’t involve radiation or inserting instruments into brain so are virtually risk free

C:Can be used more frequently to further understanding of brain

Question 14

Strength 2 of FMRI

Answer 14

I: Better spatial resolution

E: 1-2 mm So can measure smaller brain region activity

C:Greater accuracy of brain activity in different regions

Question 15

Weakness one of FMRI

Answer 15

I: Poorer temporal resolution

E:Timelag of five seconds between firing of neuron and image

C:Less accurate measurement of onset of brain activity

Question 16

Weakness two of FMRI

Answer 16

I: Problems with causation

E:Can only measure changes in bloodflow so cannot say whether region is responsible for particular function accurately

C:Not valid cause-and-effect measurement

Question 17

Strength 2 of EEG and ERP

Answer 17

 I: Better temporal resolution

E:Reading every ms so doesn’t look at passive brain unlike FMRI

C: more detailed and precise recording of brain activity

Question 18

Weakness of EEG

Answer 18

I: Poor spatial resolution

E: Only record activity of superficial regions can’t reveal what’s happening in hypothalamus and hippocampus regions

C:Can’t pinpoint the exact location of activity

Question 19

Strength 3 of ERP

Answer 19

I: Contributed to the field of cognitive neuroscience

E:Identify role of different ERPs such as P300 linked to working memory

C: valuable in developing understanding of cognitive functions

Question 20

Weakness of ERPs 

Answer 20

I: Flaws in methodology

E: lack of standardisation and likely not all brain noise eliminated

C: findings may be invalid

Question 21

Strength of post mortem

Answer 21

I: Advantages over other techniques

E:More detailed picture of brain structure and can access deeper regions to help further research, example dopamine concentration causing schizophrenia

C:Valuable in improving the medicine knowledge

Question 22

Weakness of post mortem

Answer 22

I: Methodology flaws

E:Deficit patient displays may be due to EVs like age, Medication or time between death and post mortem

C:Less valid

Question 23

Weakness two of post-mortem

Answer 23

I: Ethical issues

E:Participants can’t give Informed consent do you want to memory impairment example HM

C:Take place against patients will

Question 24

strength of circadian rhythms

Answer 24

I:sup evi

E:pps in ww2 bunker with no light or social cues- sleep/wake soon ran to 24-27 hrs

C:adds validity

Question 25

strength 2 of circadian rhythms

Answer 25

I:sup evi

E: Siffre- 6mths in cave with no time cues- wired up to computer to track functions- erractic at first then sleep/wake ran to 25hrs

C: adds validity

Question 26

weakness of circadian rhythms

Answer 26

I:method flaws

E: individual differences- some ppl early risers (6am-10pm) some late (10am-1am)- inate differences affect sleep/wake

C: reduces validity

Question 27

strength 3 of circadian rhythms

Answer 27

I:practical applications

E: reveals issues with night shift work- reduces concentration and increases risk of heart disease

C: implications for how to best manage workforce

Question 28

strength of EPs

Answer 28

I:sup evi- human studies

E:siffre- sleep wake cycle ran to 25hrs when in cave for 6mths without light or social cues

C: adds validity to control of EPs

Question 29

strength 2 of EPs

Answer 29

I: sup evi- animal studies

E: SCN of mutant hamsters with sleep wake cycle of 20hrs removed and implanted into normal ones- their cycle changed from 24 to 20hrs

C:adds validity

Question 30

strength of EZs

Answer 30

I: sup evi

E: 15 pps in lab- woken up at several points in night and shone light pad on back of knees- sleep wake cycle deviated by 3hrs

C: increases validity

Question 31

weakness EZs

Answer 31

I: cont evi- role of EZs overstated

E: case study of man blind from birth- sleep wake cycle around 25hrs- had to use sedatives to keep pace with 24hr world

C: reduces validity

Question 32

strength of ultradian rhythms

Answer 32

I: sup evi

E: EEG of 9 pps brain whilst sleeping- found 5 distinct stages based on brain wave activity with one REM stage where most (79%) dreaming occurred

C:

Question 33

strength 2 of ultradian rhythms

Answer 33

I:practical app

E: BRAC- reveals why workers need coffee breaks and students loose focus after 90mins

C: implications for how to improve working lives/concentration

Question 34

weakness of ultradian rhythms

Answer 34

I:method issues with sup evi

E: EEG may have felt invasive and effected sleep or other factors such as caffeine intake, alcohol use and anxiety.

C: lacks validity

Question 35

strength of infradian rhythms

Answer 35

I:sup evi for effect of EZ on menstrual cycle

E: took sweat sample from 29 females with irregular periods- cotton pads under armpits to get pheromones and transferred to other women by treating and rubbing pad onto lips- 68% menstrual cycles synced to donor

C: cycle influenced by EZs

Question 36

weakness of infradian rhythms

Answer 36

I: many EZs can affect menstrual cycle

E: other factors such as stress, diet, weight and exercise can affect menstrual cycle

C: hard to establish cause and effect

Question 37

strength 2 of infradian rhythms

Answer 37

I: practical applications

E: therapy foe SAD- light box therapy- bright light shone to reset melatonin levels and relieve symptoms (effective in 60% sufferers)

C: improve lives in real world