Ch. 3 Flashcards
Biological Psychologists/Neuroscientists
Study the brain and behavior
The brain
-complex
-100 bill neurons for specialized communication
Phrenology
Exploration of shape, size, and protrusions of the brain
What did phrenology believe?
-sole mind organ
-inherited traits + intelligence
-differences in people = differences in brains
-different sections grow when used more
Electrical stimulation
electrically stimulating brain during neurosurgery
Wilder Penfield
-neurosurgeon
-founded electrical stimulation
-mapped the brain
-found neurons communicate electrically
Lesion or damage study
-psychological study assessing brain damage in specific areas noting defects
What did the lesion model learn
-helped understand impairment from brain damage
Electroencephalography (EEG)
recording brains electrical activity on the surface of the skull
Electrical stimulation recording (advantages)
-non-invasive
-high temporal resolution
Electrical stimulation recording (Disadvantages)
-doesn’t say individual brain activity
-Doesn’t accurately represent brain region activity
Computed tomography (CT scan)
multiple x-rays building a 3D brain image
CT advantages
good to detect dense brain tissue
CT disadvantage
-produces a static image
-no detailed activity over time
Positron emission tomography (PET scan)
uses trace amounts of short lived radioactive material to map brain function