Chapter 2

Question 1

what are modules in the context of the brain

Answer 1

different parts of the brain, each part responsible for particular cognitive operations

Question 2

what is phrenology

Answer 2

the study of the shape, size, and protrusions of the cranium to discover relationships between parts of the brain and various mental activities and abilities

Question 3

what does the concept of localization of function refer to?

Answer 3

the idea that specific cognitive functions correspond directly to specific parts of the brain

Question 4

double dissociation

Answer 4

damage to one are of the brain causes impairment in one cognitive function while leaving another intact and vice versa

Question 5

define the law of mass action

Answer 5

learning and memory depend on the total mass of the brain tissue remaining rather than the properties of individual cells

Question 6

define the law of equipotentiality

Answer 6

although some areas of the cortex may become specialized for certain tasks, any part of an area can, within limits, do the job of any other part of that area

Question 7

what is interactionism in the context of mind and brain

Answer 7

the belief that mind and brain are separate substances that interact with and influence each other

Question 8

what does epiphenomenalism suggest about the mind

Answer 8

the mind is a superfluous by-product of bodily functioning

Question 9

explain the concept of isomorphism in cognitive neuroscience

Answer 9

mental events and neural events share the same structure

Question 10

what is a sensory system

Answer 10

a system that links the physical and perceptual worlds via the nervous system
composed of sensory receptors, neural pathways, and distinct brain regions dedicated to perception

Question 11

how many sensory systems are there and what are they

Answer 11

there are 6
vision
hearing
taste
smell
touch
and balance

Question 12

what is Broca’s aphasia and what brain region is associated with it?

Answer 12

it is a speech production deficit associated with damage to the Broca’s area in the left hemisphere

Question 13

who identified wernicke’s aphasia, and which brain region is associated with it

Answer 13

karl Wernicke
it is linked to damage in wernicke’s area in the left hemisphere

Question 14

what is the corpus callous and what happens if it is severed

Answer 14

it is a bundle of nerve fibres connecting the brain’s hemispheres
when severed, communication between hemispheres is disrupted

Question 15

what did riches and colleagues find regarding racial bias in their 2003 study

Answer 15

some individuals require additional cognitive control to avoid behaving in a racist manner

Question 16

how did riches measure hidden biases in participants

Answer 16

used the implicit association test (IAT) which measures response times to categories of words associated with positive or negative concepts and with either white or black people

Question 17

what is the implicit association test (IAT) effect?

Answer 17

the difference in response times between different conditions, such as positive-black vs positive-white pairings, indicating the strength of bias

Question 18

how do researchers combine methods in cognitive neuroscience

Answer 18

they integrate approaches like animal models, behavioural studies, neuroimaging, and patient case studies to understand the brain mechanisms comprehensively