BLOA Flashcards
Master
Supporting Strict Localization
Localization - Localization of function is the idea that certain functions (e.g. language, memory, etc.) have certain locations or areas within the brain.
Paul Broca
Aim-To Investigate the Cause of Louis ‘Tan’ Leborgne’s Loss of Speech Articulation
Method - Case Study/Brain Autopsy (Pre/Post Mortem)
Procedure - Researchers Communicated with Him + Can/Can’t Do +
Results - Normal (Intact Intelligence & Language Comprehension), But Could Only Say ‘Tan’ + Brain Lesion in Left Frontal Lobe
Conclusion - Lesion Inhibited Speech Articulation
Opposing Strict Localization
Localization - Localization of function is the idea that certain functions (e.g. language, memory, etc.) have certain locations or areas within the brain.
Karl Lashley
Aim- Investigate Where Memory Was Localized in Cortex
Method- Repeated Measures Design
Procedure- Trained Rats Go To Go Maze + Recorded Results + Remove Certain Amounts/Areas of Cortex + Rats Through Maze (2nd) + Results
Results- Amount of Cortex Removed Impacted Performance More Than What Parts Were Removed
Conclusion- Memory is Distributed in Cortex Rather than Localized in One Specific Area
Supporting Relativity of Localization Through Lateralization
Localization - Localization of function is the idea that certain functions (e.g. language, memory, etc.) have certain locations or areas within the brain.
The lateralization of brain function (or hemispheric dominance/ lateralization) is the tendency for some neural functions or cognitive processes to be specialized to one side of the brain or the other.
Sperry and Gazzaniga
Aim- Test Theory of Lateralization (How the Two Hemispheres of The Brain Function Independently When The Corpus Callosum, Which Connects Them, is Severed)
Method- Quasi-Experiment
Procedure- Participants Were Sat In front of a Board & Instructed To Look At A Dot In The Center, Then Participants Were Shown Pictures Of Various Objects On Either Side of The Board, Then Were Asked To Talk About It & Or Pickup The Object Behind The Board.
Results- Participants presented stimuli to the right eye (left hemisphere) they were able to talk about and and write about it, however if participants were shown the same thing to their left eye (right hemisphere), they were not able to talk or write about it, saying they didn’t see anything, but picked up the right object when asked to.
Conclusion- The left hemisphere is dominant in language production. The right hemisphere is responsible for visual-motor functions.
Neuroplasticity with Animals and Ethics
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to continue growing and evolving in response to life experiences.
Merzenich et al
Aim- Examine How The Sensory Cortex Responds to Hand Injuries in Owl Monkeys
Method- Repeated Measures Design
Procedure- 8 Owl Monkeys Were Sedated, Each Finger Was Mapped to A Certain Part of Their Sensory Cortex Using Electrodes, All Middle Fingers Were Amputated, 62 Days Later The Researcher’s Checked To See How Their Sensory Cortexes Responded To Injury
Results- Areas of Sensory Cortex Responsible for Adjacent Fingers (Index & Ring) Grew To Fill Unused Space, While Thumb & Pinky Areas Remained The Same Size
Conclusion- Sensory Cortex’s of Owl Monkeys Adapted to Injury Via Cortical Remapping
Neuroplasticity As The Mechanism of Learning (Driving)
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to continue growing and evolving in response to life experiences.
Maguire et al
Conclusion- Posterior Hippocampus In Accessing Previously Learned Spatial Information, Anterior Hippocampus Used To Learn New Spatial Information, Posterior Hippocampus Positively Correlated To Taxi-Driving Experience & Anterior Hippocampus was Inversely Proportional To Experience
Neuroplasticity As The Mechanism of Learning (Juggling)
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to continue growing and evolving in response to life experiences.
Draganski et al
Aim- Investigate Whether The Human Brain Changes In Response To Environmental Demands
Method- Independent Measures Design
Procedure- Sample Was Split Into Juggling and Non-Juggling Groups, Jugglers Instructed To Practice Classical Juggling Everyday, Non Jugglers Told Not To & Just Live Their Lives, After 3 Months, Juggling Group Told To Stop Practicing, Non Jugglers Instructed To Have MRI Scans Same Dates As Jugglers, MRIs Taken At 0, 3, 6 Months
Results- Start (No Difference In Brain Structure), 3rd Month (Juggling Group Had More Grey Matter In Mid Temporal Area (Associated With Movement Coordination), 6th Month (Juggling Group Grey Matter Decreased, But Was Still Significantly More Than Non-Jugglers)
Conclusion- Learning Changes Brain Structure, Thus Increasing Gray Matter of A Certain Structure of Brain, Gray Matter Decreases Without Consistent Practice
Oxytocin In Prosocial Behavior
Hormones are chemical messengers released into the bloodstream and can affect behaviors such as mood, stress, happiness, and libido.
Romero et al ( The role of oxytocin in prosocial behavior )
Aim-Investigate The Role of Oxytocin In Prosocial Behavior of Mammals
Method- Repeated Measures Design/Double-Blind/Counterbalanced
Procedure- Sample Consisted of 16 Dogs With Their Respective Owners, Experiment Had 2 Conditions (Oxytocin Sprayed Intranasally Into Dog or Placebo Spray), Owners Placed In Room With Their Dogs, Behaviors of Dogs Were Recorded, Then Footage Was Reviewed To Analyze “Affiliation” Levels of Dog With Owner and Other Dog, “Affiliation” = Licking, Playful Bouts, Body Contact
Results- Dogs With Oxytocin Showed Higher Affiliation With Owner and Other Dog
Conclusion- Oxytocin Facilitates The Maintenance of Social Bonds In Mammals
Oxytocin In Fidelity
Hormones are chemical messengers released into the bloodstream and can affect behaviors such as mood, stress, happiness, and libido.
Scheele et al ( The role of oxytocin in fidelity )
Aim-Examine The Role of Oxytocin In Fidelity
Methods- Independent Measures/Double-Blind Design
Procedure- Sample Consisted of 86 Hetero Sexual Men, Some Single and Some In Stable Monogamous Relationships, Randomly Split Into 2 Groups (Intranasally Oxytocin/Placebo Spray), 1st Stop Distance Paradigm (Participants Stood On Opposite Side of Room to An “Attractive” Female Experimenter, Then Participants Walked Towards Experimenter and Stopped When They Felt Uncomfortable), 2nd Approach/Avoidance Task (Participants Shown 4 Different Photos 1/time, Positive Social, Positive, Negative Social, Negative Images., Participants Pull Lever If They Like Image.. Causing It To Enlargen, Or Push On Lever If Dislike (Shrink)
Results- 1st Stop Distance Paradigm (Men With Oxytocin Stopped on Average 59cm Away From Woman, Placebo Stopped on Average 59cm), 2nd Approach/Avoidance Task (Oxytocin Men Hesitant to Pull Lever When Shown Attractive Girl)
Conclusion- Oxytocin Increases Likelihood of Fidelity
Supporting Pheromones In Humans
Pheromones refer to chemical signals released by organisms, including humans, which trigger social or behavioral responses in others of the same species.
Lundstrom et Olsson
Aim- Examine Effect of Androstadienone on Female Mood
Method- Repeated Measures/Double-Blind/Counter Balanced Design
Procedure- The Sample Consisted of Heterosexual Women With Normal Menstrual Cycle (n=36, x̄= 25yrsold), Mood of Participants Were Examined Before/After Exposed to Highly Concentrated Androstadienone/Placebo Solution On A 30 Years Old Male or 28 Years Old Female Experimenter, The Experimenter Conducted several Measurements Including Various Questionnaires (One Of Which Measured Mood)
R- Androstadienone Increased Women mood In The Presence of Male Experimenters But Not Female Experimenters
C- Androstadienone Increases Female Mood
Opposing Pheromones In Humans
Pheromones refer to chemical signals released by organisms, including humans, which trigger social or behavioral responses in others of the same species.
Hare et al
Aim- Investigate Whether Androstadienone & Estratetraenol Are Sex Pheromones
Method-Repeated/Counter-Balanced Design
Procedure- 2 Computer Based Tasks (1st, Participants Shown Gender Neutral Faces, Identify Whether Male/Female) + (2nd, Shown Images of Opposite Sex & Rate Attractiveness), Conditions of Study (Cotton Ball Disguised in Olive Oil (Androstadienone, Estratetraenol/Control)Taped Below Participants Nose
Results- No Significant Differences In Both Computerized Tasks For Both Conditions
Conclusion- Androstadienone and Estratetraenol Aren’t Sex Pheromones
Dopamine In Romance
Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that transmit signals across synapses, thus playing a crucial role in communication within the brain and between the brain and the rest of the body.
Fisher, Aaron, Brown ( Dopamine on romantic love )
Aim- Investigate Role of Dopamine on Romantic Love
Method- Repeated Measures Design
Procedure- Sample Consisted of 10 Men and 7 Women (All Adults) Who Were Reportedly “Intensely In Love” (Not With Each Other Though), Participants Placed in fMRI + Shown Picture of Romantic Partner (30sec) + Buffer Task (40 sec) + Shown Romantic Parter (30 sec) + Buffer Task (20sec) + Cycle Repeated 6x
Results- When Shown Lover, Ventral Tegmental Area + Caudate Nucleus (Dopamine Rich Areas) Activated
Conclusion- Dopamine In Brain Influences Romantic Love
Dopamine In Parkinson Disease
Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that transmit signals across synapses, thus playing a crucial role in communication within the brain and between the brain and the rest of the body.
Freed et al ( dopamine implants parkinsons )
Aim- Examine Role of Dopamine in Patients With Severe Parkinson Disease
Method- Independent Measures Design
Procedure- Sample Consisted of Patients With Severe Parkinson (n=40, 34-75yrsold), Split Into 2 Groups (Real Surgery, Dopamine Producing Neurons Surgically Placed In Putamen) + (Sham Surgery), After Surgery, Participants Followed Longitudinally For 1 Year and Went Through PET Scans
Results- Those Who Underwent Real Surgeries Had Increased Dopamine Producing Neurons in Putamen’s, Real Surgery Participants Had Symptom Reduction of 28%, But Those Under Age 60
Conclusion- Transplanting Dopamine Rich Neurons In Putamen Reduces Parkinson Symptoms, But Only In Younger Patients
Interracial Adopting In IQ and Academic Performance
Genetics refers to the study of how genetic factors contribute to individual differences in psychological traits, behaviors, and mental processes.
Scarr and Weingberg ( Interracial adopting )
Aim- Examine Influence of Reared Environment on IQ and Academic Performance
Method- Independent Measures Design/Purposive Sampling
Procedure- White Families Adopted Black Children Within First 12 Months or A Little After 12 Months of Childs Life + Black Child Was Reared In This Environment, Once Children Grew Up + Given IQ Tests and Academic Tests Were Evaluated, Then Results of IQ Tests Compared to Black Children Who Grew Up In Black Environments
Results- Mean IQ of Adoptive Parents Avg. 120, Their Biological Children Had Mean IQ of 119, Black Children Reared In Black Communities Had Avg. IQ of 90 While Interracially Adopted Had IQ 106 or Even 111 If Reared From An Earlier Stage In Life
Conclusion- Interracial Adopting Increased IQ of Black Children Significantly
Swedish Twins, Different Environments In Cognitive Ability
Genetics refers to the study of how genetic factors contribute to individual differences in psychological traits, behaviors, and mental processes.
Kendler et al ( effect of environment on cognitive ability )
Aim- Investigate Effect of Environment on Cognitive Ability
Method- Correlational Study
Procedure- Sample Consisted of 436 Pairs of Male Swedish Twins, One twin Raised By Biological Parents, Other Twin With Adoptive Parents, Adoptive Parents Average Educational Attainment Was Higher Than Biological Parents, Twins Were Given IQ Tests at Age 18 + Results Recorded
Results- Correlation Between Biological Child and Biological Parents Was Higher Than The Correlation Between Adoptive Child and Their Biological Parents
Conclusion- Intelligence is Environmentally Malleable
Evolutionary Explanation for Disgust
Evolution refers to the application of principles from evolutionary biology to understand the development and functioning of the human mind and behavior.
Curtis, Aunger and Rabie ( Evolutionary explain for disgust )
Aim- Test Curtis, Aunger et Rabie’s Hypothesis That Disgust Was An Evolutionary Trait That Developed To Protect Us From Novel Pathogens + Diseases
Method- Correlational Study/Surveys
Procedure- Curtis et al. Argued That If Disgust Was Evolutionary, The Results Must Follow 5 Conditions, 1. Disgust Felt Stronger In More Disease-Salient Stimuli, 2. Disgust Felt Stronger In Women (Have To Carry Offspring, Thus Must Protect Themselves), 3. Disgust Operates Similarly Across Cultures As It Is A Universal Evolutionary Trait In Humans, 4. The Older We Get + The Weaker Feelings of Disgust (We’ve Already Reproduced, Less Need To Survive), 5. Disgust Felt Stronger In Strangers Than In Relatives (Strangers More Likely To Carry Disease), The Researcher’s Survey Advertised On BBC Documentary, Initial Sample 77,000, Post Cleaning 40,000., 1st Question (Personal Details Such As Age, Gender, Nationality), Next (Shown 20 Photos, Rate Disgust On 1-5 (1 Least, 5 Most Disgusting), 14 Of These Photos Were Pairs of Disease-Salient vs. Less Salient Stimuli [White Towel Blue/Red Stain][Chemical vs. Bodily Fluids]
Results- Results Consistent Across Cultures, Women On Average Rated Images In General As More Disgusting, The Older The Respondent + Less Disgusted, Respondents Would Rather Share Toothbrush With Relative/Lover To Stranger, Chemical Towel Less Disgusting Than Bloody Towel
Conclusion- Disgust Is An Evolutionary Trait Developed To Protect Humans From Disease
