Case Studies and HM Flashcards
1
Q
Case Study
A
A detailed study of on case of a person / group of people.
2
Q
+ / - Case Study
A
+ used to investigate instances of human behaviour and experience that are rare or cases which could not be created in research labs.
+ Produces in-depth, rich data.
- Difficult to generalise from individual cases as each one has unique characteristics and/or because we can’t make before and after comparisons e.g. Phineas gage only has anecdotal evidence of him pre-accident.
- Often necessary to use recollection of past events as part of a case study; this can be unreliable as memories can be inaccurate.
3
Q
Phineas Gage
A
- Working on a construction of an American railway and an explosion of dynamite drove a tamping iron through his head.
- He survived and functioned fairly normally.
- Although it seemed to change his personality, before he was hard-working and responsible but after he was restless and indecisive. His friends said he was no longer the same man.
- Showed that parts of brain can be removed without being fatal, and importance of frontal lobe in behaviour like conscientiousness.
4
Q
Phineas Gage doubt
A
Doubt about validity of reports as it appears he eventually returned back to normal life and responsible job, possible that personality changes were just temporary.
5
Q
HM Surgery
A
- To relieve epilepsy.
- Scoville removed the Hippocampus.
- Epilepsy slightly better but now had major memory loss.
6
Q
HM Post - Surgery
A
- Epilepsy slightly better but now had major memory loss.
- Still had personality and intellect but had anterograde amnesia and retrograde amnesia.
7
Q
HM Assessments
A
- STM was about the same up to 20 seconds, after that he forgot ow much time passed.
- Procedural memory intact.
- Largely unable to form episodic memories.
- Semantic Memory severely affected.
8
Q
HM Conclusion
A
Demonstrates the localised nature of different brain functions and role of hippocampus in episodic / semantic memories.
9
Q
HM Ethical Issues
A
- Not in a position to consent to tests or preservation of brain due to no memory.
- Cost v Benefits could be balanced.
- Scoville done the operation alone - Monitoring of professionals by colleagues.
