Biopsychology - ways of studying the brain Flashcards
How does an fMRI scan work
shows where neuronal activity occurs by detecting changes in blood-glucose concentration in an area of high activity
What will an fMRI scan produce
produces a 3D image of the brain known as an activation map
what can an fMRI scan tell us
which parts of the brain are involved in a particular mental process
what is temporal resolution
how quickly a scanner can detect changes in brain activity
what is spatial resolution
How detailed the structural image is /refers to the smallest feature (or measurement) that a scanner can detect
what is a benefit of having high temporal resolution
it can record the brain’s activity in real time as opposed to looking at a passive brain. This leads to an accurate measurement of electrical activity when undertaking a specific task.
What is a benefit of having high spatial resolution
Greater spatial resolution allows psychologists to discriminate between different brain regions with greater accuracy.
What is a benefit of the fMRI scan in comparison to a PET scan
less risk to health as does not involve injecting radioactive material therefore less invasive which could allow more pps to use and gather further data
Which resolution is a strength of fMRI and why
spatial resolution - psychologists can determine the activity of different brain regions with greater accuracy
what is a problem with causation and fMRI scans
do not provide a direct measure of neural activity only measures changes in blood flow. therefore difficult to infer causation
who might fMRI scans not be beneficial to
young children and people with metal in their body as is magnetic, very loud and requires sitting still for long periods of time so data is not disturbed
how does an EEG work
measures frequency of electrical activity and amplitude using skull cap and electrodes
what does an EEG tell psychologists
shows changes in brain activity that may be useful in diagnosing brain conditions, especially epilepsy and sleep conditions
Which resolution is an EEG poor in and why is it a problem
poor in spatial resolution which means it is difficult to pinpoint exactly where the activity is taking place. limited in what it can tell us about brain regions and electrical activity
An EEG has high temporal resolution, why is this a strength
it can record the brain’s activity in real time as opposed to looking at a passive brain.This suggests that EEG can provide a high degree of accuracy when examining the onset of brain activity, allowing psychologist to make accurate conclusions in relation to the timing of neural activity,
what is a practical limitation of an EEG
EEG/ERP is uncomfortable for the participant, as electrodes are attached to the scalp. This could result in unrepresentative readings as the patient’s discomfort may be affecting cognitive responses to situations
how does an event related potential work.
similar equipment to EEG, however a stimulus is presented to pps eg. picture and the researcher looks for a change in activity related to that stimulus using a statistical averaging technique.
what is an advantage of the data produced by an ERP
brings more specificity (due to the stimulus and response testing ) to measurement of neural processes than could be achieved by raw EEG data
Why is an ERP more easily accessible than a PET scan
non invasive as no radiation or instruments inserted into brain and is risk free. in addition is cheaper than fMRI so more readily available - allows more patients to use and therefore data on functioning and understanding of psychological phenomena
what is a practical limitation of an ERP
to establish raw valid data background noise must be completely eliminated, might not always be achievable.
what is a post mortem exam
analysis of a persons brain following their death. often of a person who displayed a particular behaviour while they were alive that suggested possible brain damage
what is a real life example of a post mortem exam.
work of Broca, who examined the brain of a man who displayed speech problems when he was alive. It was subsequently discovered that he had a lesion in the area of the brain important for speech production that later became known as the Broca’s area
why are post mortem exams useful (broca’s area as example)
vital for early understanding of brain regions for example, discovery of broca’s area - this leads to improved medical knowledge of key processes - speech production.
what is the issue with causation in relation to post mortem exams
(broca’s area as example.)
The deficit a patient displays during their lifetime (e.g. an inability to speak) may not be linked to the deficits found in the brain (e.g. a damaged Broca’s area). The deficits reported could have been the result of another illness, and therefore psychologists are unable to conclude that the deficit is caused by the damage found in the brain.
