Cognitive Neuroscience

Question 1

What are the 4 philosophical views on the mind-brain link?

Answer 1

1. Interactionism
2. Epiphenomenalism
3. Parallelism
4. Isomorphism

Question 2

What is interactionism?

Answer 2

idea that the mind and brain are separate entities

Question 3

What is Epiphenomenalism?

Answer 3

Mental thought (mind) is the result of physical events (brain)

Question 4

What is the problem with Epiphenomenalism?

Answer 4

It is counter-intuitive and cannot explain the evolutionary purpose of the mind.

Question 5

What is Parallelism?

Answer 5

the mind and brain are two aspects of the same thing. Every event in the mind has a corresponding event in the brain.

Question 6

What is the problem with parallelism?

Answer 6

there is no explanation for this parallel structure

Question 7

What is isomorphism?

Answer 7

no point-for-point link between the brain, the physical world and mental experiences, but related in structure.

the mind is linked to the brain through a pattern related to the associated physical experience.

Question 8

what is the model-building theory of isomorphism?

Answer 8

mind is an internal model of the external world.

brain supports physical and mental event following similar laws.

Question 9

What is Jerry Fodor’s modularity of mind hypothesis?

Answer 9

the brain is composed of modules that perform a simple computation that contributes to a task.

Question 10

What is a module?

Answer 10

dedicated systems that work on very simple info

Question 11

What are the characteristics of modules?

Answer 11

1. Domain specific
2. They work automatically and quickly
3. They share the results of their processes to other modules but not the process to other modules.

Question 12

what is phrenology?

Answer 12

parts of the brain correspond to mental functions and personality characteristics

Question 13

How are mental strengths and weaknesses measured in phrenology?

Answer 13

Location of bumps (strengths) and dents (weaknesses) on skull

Question 14

what were the criticisms of phrenology?

Answer 14

too simplistic and very speculative

Question 15

what is brain localization?

Answer 15

seeks to find the brain area that supports a cognitive function. Used in modern neuroscience

Question 16

What are the two types of brain localization methods?

Answer 16

1. Neuroimaging

2. Brain damage

Question 17

what did Franz and Lashsley find in their rat maze study?

Answer 17

maze learning impairment depends don the amount of brain damage not location.

Question 18

what are the 2 laws on Functional organization of the brain?

Answer 18

-Law of mass action
ability to perform mental tasks depends on the total mass of brain tissue that remains after damage

-Law of equipotentiality
Any part of the brain can do the job of any other part of the brain

Question 19

What are the 4 cognitive Neuroscience Methods?

Answer 19

1. Animal models
2. Psychophysiological measurements
3. Neuropsychological cases
4. Neuroimaging techniques

Question 20

what are the strengths and weaknesses ofAnimal models?

Answer 20

Strengths:

• Provides a causal link between brain and behaviour
• Foundational discoveries about how the mind works

weaknesses:
-Differences in brain structure and function across species puts limits on the generalization of these findings.

Question 21

What are psychophysiological measurements?

Answer 21

they measure activity in the peripheral nervous system (not the brain) in response to things humans perceive or imagine.

Question 22

What is skin conductance used for?

Answer 22

assess how emotional arousal impacts cognitive tasks

Question 23

What is split brain?

Answer 23

the corpus callous is cut and the two hemispheres cannot communicate with each other.

Question 24

What are the left and right hemispheres responsible for?

Answer 24

Left: speech and language

right: visual-spatial processing

Question 25

What is a neuroimaging technique?

Answer 25

Measures (or affect) neural communication

Question 26

What are the different types of neuroimaging techniques?

Answer 26

• EEG
• PET
• fMRI
• Brain stimulation techniques

Question 27

What is brain stimulation?

Answer 27

non-invasive method of changing the brain activity.

Question 28

What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)?

Answer 28

Transient change of brain activity by applying a focal magnetic field.

Question 29

What is the parahippocampal place area (PPA) responsible for?

Answer 29

thinking about spatial layouts

Question 30

what is the supplementary motor area (SMA) responsible for?

Answer 30

performing or imaging movement