Casey et al - background

Question 1

What is localisation of functioning?

Answer 1

the idea that each region of the brain has a specific function

Question 2

What are characteristics of localisation of functioning?

Answer 2

• works in isolation on own function
• damage to brain region = no function

Question 3

What is brain plasticity?

Answer 3

when a region of the brain is damaged and can no longer function a different brain region adapts the function of the damaged area

Question 4

What are the brain regions associated with Casey’s study?

Answer 4

1- inferior frontal gyrus
2- ventral striatum

Question 5

What is the function of the inferior frontal gyrus?

Answer 5

• go and no go tasks
• risk aversion

Question 6

What is the function of the ventral striatum?

Answer 6

• reward pathway

Question 7

What is delay of gratification?

Answer 7

the ability to resist temptation in favour of long-term goals

Question 8

What type of situations are involved with delay of gratification?

Answer 8

alluring situations

Question 9

How do alluring situations link to delay of gratification?

Answer 9

alluring situations can diminish our control

Question 10

What factor impacts delay of gratification?

Answer 10

age

Question 11

How does age impact delay of gratification?

Answer 11

what we consider to be an alluring situation that requires a capacity to control our impulses often changes with age

Question 12

What does the ability to delay gratification rely on?

Answer 12

cognitive control

Question 13

What background investigation inspired Casey’s study?

Answer 13

Mischel’s Marshmallow test

Question 14

What is Mischel’s Marshmallow test?

Answer 14

• placing marshmallow in front of child
• tells child if they don’t eat it they can have 2 when she gets back (+1)
• adult leaves room

Question 15

What are the two types of cues?

Answer 15

hot and cold

Question 16

What are some hot cues in the marshmallow test?

Answer 16

smelling / tasting the marshmallow

Question 17

What makes a cue ‘hot’?

Answer 17

making the delay of gratification harder to resist

Question 18

What are examples of the cold cues in the marshmallow test?

Answer 18

recognising they will get two if they wait / avoiding looking at the marshmallow

Question 19

What does being a high delayer mean?

Answer 19

resist temptation easily

Question 20

What does being a low delayer mean?

Answer 20

does not resist temptation easily

Question 21

What is a ‘go’ task?

Answer 21

a stimuli that should elicit a response e.g., a green button for go; response = pressing button

Question 22

What is a ‘no go’ task?

Answer 22

a stimuli that should not elicit a response e.g., a red button for no; response = not pressing button

Question 23

What does the inferior frontal gyrus have to do with delay of gratification?

Answer 23

IFG has a role in our interpretation of facial expressions and the appropriate emotional responses - correlation found between avoidance of risky behaviour

Question 24

What does the ventral striatum have to do with delay of gratification?

Answer 24

activated due to rewards and associated with reward and immediate choices

Question 25

How are go/ no go tasks similar to delay of gratification?

Answer 25

the brain is used in the same way

Question 26

What does a go/ no go task determine?

Answer 26

a participant’s ability to delay the impulse to press the button and therefore control the ventral striatum with the IFG

Question 27

What does performance on the marshmallow task predict?

Answer 27

results on the cognitive go/ no go tasks

Question 28

What does the predictions of behaviour imply?

Answer 28

• stable trait
• criterion validity