Canli et al (2000) Flashcards
It was a brain scanning study lookig at the links between the amygdala and memory for emotional experiences
What is the amygdala?
The amygdala is an almond shape set of neurons located deep in the brain’s medial temporal lobe. It forms part of the limbic system. It processes emotions and determines which and where memories will be stored in the brain.
Define
Evolution
The process of natural selection of an offspring which have inherited characteristics that make them most likely to survive.
Define
Genes
Inherited instructions that are passed on from parents to children that control our development and influence some aspects of our thinking, behaviour and thinking.
What was Canli et al’s aim?
General Aim : Was to show that emotive images will be remembered better than images that have less or little emotional impact.
Specific Aims : Wanted to find out;
- Whether or not the amygdala is sensitive to different levels of emotional intensity of external stimuli
- Whether the intensity of stimuli / enhances memory for a particular stimuli
What was Canli et al’s background?
There are two types of scans:
1. Structural scans - takes pictures of the structure of brain
- Functional (fMRI) - is a neuroimaging procedure that uses MRI technology to measure brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow
What was Canli et al’s design?
Used repeated measures design
What was Canli et al’s research method?
It was a laboratory experiment and used repeated measures design. IV was the level of emotional arousal percieved by the participants. DV were the recollection of the scene viewed and the second was the fMRI measure of the amygdala activity
What was Canli et al’s IV?
IV was the level of emotional arousal percieved by the participants
What was Canli et al’s DV?
DV were the recollection of the scene viewed and the second was the fMRI measure of the amygdala activity
Describe
The sample used in Canli et al’s study?
10 healthy right-handed women. women were believed to show more physiological reactions.
Define
Physiological
To do with biological processes in the body
Ex : Hormones
Define
Valence
When discussing emotions this refers to the attractiveness [(+)ve valence] and aversiveness[(-)ve valence] of something
Define
Foil
An unkown or unseen object that is used as a control when testing a participants memory
List
The brain map
- Brain stem
- Cerebellum
- Cerebrum
- Prefrontal cortex
- thalamus
- Hippocampus
- Amygdala
3/4 same area
5/6/7 same area
Describe
Canli et al’s procedure
- Lab experiment. Participants laid still while measurements were taken
- 96 scene were viewed for 2.88 seconds and there was an interval fixation of 12.96 seconds
- Participants had to rate how emotional scene were by pressing one of the 4 buttons (Scaled from 0 - 3) using their right hand.
- Order was randomised
- Brain activity measured using fMRI which measured blood oxygen levels.(Contrast imaging)
- After three weeks, had a suprise recognition task where original 96 and 48 new foil scenes were showed
- If they remembered, asked how well (Remembered / Know)
How many scenes were shown in Canli et al’s study?
96 scenes and 48 foil scenes
How long was each scene was viewed for in Canli et al’s study?
2.88 seconds
How long was the interval fixation in Canli et al’s study?
12.96 seconds
What were the results obtained by Canli at al?
- Actication of the amygdala had a correlation with high ratings of emotional intensity
- The follow up memory task showed that memory performance was significally improved for scenes that were rated higher emotional intensity than less emotive scenes
What were the conclusions made by Canli et al?
It was concluded that there is a relationship between emotional intensity of stimuli and memory. It suggests that the more emotionally intense a stimuli is, the better it would be remembered. Explains why people remember emtional things better.
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Evaluation Points for Canli et al’s study
Strengths
1. Use of fMRI can made data on amygdala activiation objective. But there are other brain parts that were not observed
2. Heavily standardised, increases internal validity
3. Applicable for advertising agents and educators
4. No demand characteristics, validity high
5. Randomising helped remove order effect
Weaknesses
6. Sample size too small, low in generalisability. Gender bias
7. Lab experiment, lacks ecological validity.
8. No baseline scan to compare. But repeated measures designs reduce this
9. No qualitative data no subjective data. Don’t know why ppl rated this way
