Brain and Learning Flashcards
Why does the larger brain give humans a better chance of survival?
It enables learning by experience: social behaviour: interaction. Brain made up of billions of neurons.
What is the cerebral cortex involved with?
- intelligence: think and solve problems
- memory: remember experiences
- language: communication
- consciousness: awareness.
What do the folds in the brain increase?
The ability to process information.
How do neurosurgeons map the brain?
Map the regions by invasive and non-invasive methods.
Examples of invasive methods:
- how a person is affected when a certain part of the brain is damaged
- brain surgery: use electrodes to stimulate parts of brain electrically, see how patients are affected: reporting memories/sensations.
Examples of non-invasive methods:
-producing image and mapping activity with scanning techniques: MRI.
When are non-invasive methods useful?
- comparing non-diseased brains with brains of diseased people: Alzheimer’s
- looking at activity in brain when it’s stimulated: music, language or image.
What is a neuron pathway?
Transmitting impulses in the brain leads to links forming between the neurons.
How is a neuron pathway strengthened?
- if an experience is repeated, more impulse follow the same pathway
- strong stimuli: colour, light, smell, sound.
How do skills improve?
By repeating actions.
Learning results from experiences:
- new neuron pathways form: pathway may be lost
- certain pathways in brain become more likely to transmit impulses than others.
Why can humans adapt to new situations and respond to new stimuli?
Because there is billions of neurons in the brain so the potential number of neuron pathways is huge.
Why do feral children only have limited language skills?
Children can only aquire certain skills are a certain age: if isolated then skills won’t develop.
