Biopsychology Evaluation Flashcards
Strength 1 of localisation of function (sup evi)
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
Strength 2 of localisation of function (sup evi)
I: Supporting evidence for localisation of memory
E:Tulving found Episodic and semantic memory in temporal lobe in pet scans
C:More valid
Weakness 1 of localisation of function (Contradictory evidence)
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
Weakness 2 of Localisation of function (cont evi)
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
Strength 1 of Lateralisation of function (sup evi)
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
Strength 2 of lateralisation of function (reliability)
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
Weakness 1 of lateralisation of function (unrepresentative)
 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
Weakness 2 of lateralisation of function (eco val/mun real)
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
Strength 1 of plasticity research (sup evi)
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
Strength 2 of plasticity research (practical application)
 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
Weakness 1 of plasticity research (functional recovery depends on…)
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
Weakness 2 of plasticity research (negative effects)
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
Strength 1 of fMRI EEG and ERP
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
Strength 2 of FMRI
I: Better spatial resolution
E: 1-2 mm So can measure smaller brain region activity
C:Greater accuracy of brain activity in different regions
Weakness one of FMRI
I: Poorer temporal resolution
E:Timelag of five seconds between firing of neuron and image
C:Less accurate measurement of onset of brain activity
Weakness two of FMRI
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
Strength 2 of EEG and ERP
 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
Weakness of EEG
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
Strength 3 of ERP
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
Weakness of ERPs 
I: Flaws in methodology
E: lack of standardisation and likely not all brain noise eliminated
C: findings may be invalid
Strength of post mortem
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
Weakness of post mortem
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
Weakness two of post-mortem
I: Ethical issues
E:Participants can’t give Informed consent do you want to memory impairment example HM
C:Take place against patients will
strength of circadian rhythms
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
strength 2 of circadian rhythms
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
weakness of circadian rhythms
I:method flaws
E: individual differences- some ppl early risers (6am-10pm) some late (10am-1am)- inate differences affect sleep/wake
C: reduces validity
strength 3 of circadian rhythms
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
strength of EPs
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
strength 2 of EPs
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
strength of EZs
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
weakness EZs
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
strength of ultradian rhythms
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:
strength 2 of ultradian rhythms
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
weakness of ultradian rhythms
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
strength of infradian rhythms
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
weakness of infradian rhythms
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
strength 2 of infradian rhythms
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
