BLOA - Discuss use of tech in investigating the link between biological factors and behaviour

Question 1

Brain imaging technology

Answer 1

• non invasive procedures

- used to measure brain activity, look at brain structures, and discover the functions of brain areas

Question 2

PET

Answer 2

positron emission tomography

• injects radioactive sugar that produces gamma rays while it’s being metabolised by the brain
• based on the principle that rate of metabolism depends on activity

strengths:

• can show dynamic info in real-time
• helpful diagnostic tool showing abnormalities in activity levels

limitations:

• not very precise
• some health concerns
• but overall quite safe

PET study: Raine et al. (1997)

Question 3

Raine et al. (1997) - Aim

Answer 3

To investigate brain abnormalities in murderers using PET scans

Question 4

Raine et al. (1997) - Process

Answer 4

1. 41 prisoners charged with murder were paired with a control (non-murdering) subject
2. Each control subject had the same age, sex, and absence/presence of schizophrenia as their partner

Question 5

Raine et al. (1997) - Findings

Answer 5

murderers exhibited:

• lower activity in the prefrontal cortex (linked to a loss of self-control and altered emotion)
• lower activity in the corpus callosum (connects the two brain hemispheres), suggesting less communication between the 2 hemispheres
• lower activity than with controls in the amygdala (linked to emotional expression)
• lower activity in the angular gyrus (linked with verbal ability and educational success)

Question 6

Raine et al. (1997) - Conclusion

Answer 6

problems with the mentioned structures may cause a lack of inhibition for violent behaviour and greater fearlessness

Question 7

Raine et al. (1997) - Evaluation

Answer 7

• gender imbalance (only 2 out of the 41 participants were female)
• matched-pairs design was a real strength as it ruled out other effects on brain activity
• but findings apply only to a sub-group of violent offenders (not to other types of violence or crime)
• some participants were murderers while others were manslaughterers (specific brain abnormalities should not be generalized)
• however the PET scan can lack precision

Question 8

CT

Answer 8

• combines computer and X-ray technology
• X-rays show human bones but not soft tissue
• computer technology fills in to allow us to see those tissues
• CT scans can be taken from the top, bottom, back, front or sides of the head and can show the brain at any depth
• basically cross-sections of the brain

strengths:
- extremely useful for showing structural changes (e.g. due to a brain tumour or brain damage

limitations:

• can only produce structural images
• cannot show brain activity
• health concerns due to x-rays

CT study: Ogden (2005)

Question 9

hemineglect

Answer 9

cause: damage to one side of the brain
effect: inattention to the opposite side of space

Question 10

Ogden (2005) - Aim

Answer 10

investigate hemineglect’s biological causes and cognitive effects

Question 11

Ogden (2005) - Findings

Answer 11

• CT scan showed that Janet had a tumour in the parietal lobe in her right hemisphere
• she ignores everything on the left side of space
• often justifies, rationalizes and jokes about her tendencies

Question 12

Ogden (2005) - Conclusion

Answer 12

the fact that Janet appears to be aware of her condition implies that her condition doesn’t cause inability to sense the left side of space, simply a willing neglect

Question 13

strengths of case studies

Answer 13

• yields rich data and detailed data

- can be very useful for constructing/challenging theories

Question 14

limitations of case studies

Answer 14

• extent of generalizability to population is limited

- ethical considerations: participant may be upset by invasiveness

Question 15

general evaluation of applications of tech in investigating the link between neurophysiology and behaviour

Answer 15

• effective in showing correlations between specific brain areas and behaviour
• but takes a reductionist approach to complex issues
• brain differences in the murderers (Raine et al., 1997) may have been a consequence of a violent lifestyle and not its cause
• the smaller hippocampi (Luby, 2012) may have been the result of lifestyle factors such as poor diet or biological factors such as inheritance

Question 16

what to write when asked: “Discuss use of tech in investigating the link between biological factors and behaviour”

Answer 16

• main idea: use of PET and MRI to investigate the link between brain functions and behaviour

for each tech:

• explain how it shows brain processes in action
• how does it help us understand how the brain works?
• evaluate their use (ethical, methodological)
• evaluate the studies mentioned
• state advantages and disadvantages + give your opinion on whether advantages outweigh disadvantages + explain why

PET: Raine et al. (1997)
MRI: Ogden (2005)