chapter 3

Question 1

5 types of research

Answer 1

• descriptive methods: case studies, naturalistic observation, surveys
• correlational/ quasi experimental
• experimental

Question 2

disadvantage of case studies

Answer 2

• focuses on one particular person

- sample size is 1 which is too small

Question 3

disadvantage of correlational work

Answer 3

• we can only say two things are related, but NOT that one causes the other
• correlation does not equal causation

Question 4

goal of cognitive psychology work

Answer 4

to identify the differential mental operations or transformations required to perform a specific task (and exploring limitations of tasks)

-try to figure out what is happening based on what is going in and what is coming out

Question 5

Sternberg item-recognition task measure

Answer 5

• measures working memory

- serial

Question 6

Stroop cognitive control task measure

Answer 6

• cognitive control
• subjects ask to identify the ink color
• color doesn’t match word = task takes longer

Question 7

3 causes of brain lesions in humans and what case studies of these individuals can tell us

Answer 7

• naturally occurring lesions
• experimental ablation
• perturbing neural function
• can tells us the role of a particular brain region for cognitive function
• help us study brain functions

Question 8

2 types of strokes

Answer 8

• ischemic: blockage of blood vessel in brain, stops blood flow and oxygen to regions of the brain, causes tissues to die
• hemorrhagic :blood overflow causes vessel to burst and loss of blood supply

Question 9

2 types of brain tumors

Answer 9

• meningoma: outer surface of the brain

- glioma: affecting the glial cells

Question 10

strengths and weaknesses of studying naturally occurring brain lesions

Answer 10

• strengths: determines whether a region is necessary for cognitive function, compelling, see which functions tend to go together and which are isolated from each other
• weaknesses: groups studies are hard because patients differ, neural plasticity strategies could make a cognitive deficit, don’t know if damage region is of primary or secondary importance for function

Question 11

double dissociation … why is it important

Answer 11

-helps find another task that is also associated with the same part of the brain to see whether that region is responsible for a specific function

Question 12

experimental ablation

Answer 12

-removal or destruction of a part of the brain of an experimental animal to study the function of that region of the brain

Question 13

describe how pharmacological studies inform our knowledge of the nervous system

Answer 13

can help us learn about how a neurotransmitter affects the nervous system

Question 14

TMS

Answer 14

• uses a pulse of magnetic energy stimulation to briefly disrupt cognitive processing
• can turn off neural functioning briefly depending on the region it is put on

Question 15

TMS strengths and weaknesses

Answer 15

• strengths: good temporal resolution, noninvasive, transient effects
• weaknesses: can only get to surface areas not deep parts, limited, effects don’t last long

Question 16

what do structural methods tell us about the brain? 3 examples

Answer 16

-gives us a picture of the brain, but does NOT tell us about a function

1. CT
2. MRI
3. diffusion tensor imaging

Question 17

functional methods

Answer 17

• EEG
• PET
• fMRI

-measures neural activity

Question 18

CT scan work.. strengths…weaknesses

Answer 18

• uses X-ray technology to give a simulated picture of the brain
• S: noninvasive, quick pic of brain, most people can get it
• W: not detail, not use in research studies, uses x-ray

Question 19

MRI work… S and W

Answer 19

• takes slices of the brain and creates a 2d pic of the brain
• S: good spatial resolution, very detail, noninvasive
• W: too expensive, some people can’t use bc is magnetic and sensitive to movement

Question 20

Diffusion tensor imaging work…S and W

Answer 20

• White matter tract = water not very movable, because water is confined to the white matter tract thus we can see the white matter
• S: we can see white matter tracts
• W: too expensive, uses an MRI

Question 21

single-cell recording

Answer 21

• an electrode is inserted into the brain, and electrical activity measured in vicinity of the neurons
• not done in humans = very invasive

Question 22

EEG work…. S and W

Answer 22

• Electrodes are placed on the scalp to measure electrical activity through the skull
• Does not measure individual neurons, but populations of neurons firing synchronoously
• S:good temporal resolution, noninvasive
• W: poor spatial resolution

Question 23

Event-related Potential (ERP) work…S and W

Answer 23

• Small changes in the scalp-recorded electroencephalogram time-locked to the onset of a task
• S: noninvasive, cheap
• W: bad spatial resolution, looking at population of neurons not one

Question 24

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) work…..S and W

Answer 24

• Imaging technique that measures the weak magnetic fields emitted by neurons
• Time locked to an event gives you event-related fields (ERFs)

Question 25

PET work….S and W

Answer 25

• Uses PET scanner to measure blood flow, oxygen use, and sugar (glucose) metabolism following injection of a radioactive tracer
• S: noninvasive
• W: uses radioactive tracers, very expensive, poor temporal resolution, ok spatial resolution

Question 26

fMRI work

Answer 26

• Indirect measure of neural activity
• Measuring blood flow, with the idea that the areas of the brain that are more active will use more oxygen blood flow
• Showing more blood flow (activity) when the word was remembered compared to forgotten

Question 27

fMRI S and W

Answer 27

• S: noninvasive, safe, measuring activity in the brain, good spatial resolution
• W: analysis very complex, poor temporal resolution

Question 28

what is the difference between block design and event-related design

Answer 28

d