cognitive neuroscience

Question 1

what are the key ideas of cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 1

• The aim of cognitive neuroscience is to relate mental processes (cognition) to brain structures (neuro).
• The emergence (or development) of cognitive neuroscience has depended on the various techniques available.

Question 2

what is cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 2

• Cognitive Neuroscience blends both the cognitive and the biological approach together.
• We are given a biological explanation of the cognition we are investigating.

Question 3

what are the brain scanning techniques? used in cognitive neuroscience

Answer 3

• fMRI and PET scans to investigate biological reasons for cognitive differences.
• These methods have only evolved in the last fifty years and are revolutionising Psychology and our knowledge of the brain. → can find the biological cause

Question 4

what is fMRI brain scanning?

Answer 4

fMRI - functional magnetic resonance imaging → measures blood flow in the brain (amount of oxygen (blood flow) in the certain parts of brain shows how active the area is)

Question 5

what is PET scanning?

Answer 5

PET - positron emission tomography → shows a heatmap of arrears in use

Question 6

what are the positives of cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 6

• Studies using fMRI scans have shown that the cognitive characteristic of obsessions in OCD is linked to abnormal functioning of both the parahippocampal gyrus and the frontal lobes.
• fMRI scanning has shown that people with an overactive fear response/phobia demonstrating cognitive processing such as hypervigilance have increased blood flow in the amygdala- the area associated with emotion.
• Cognitive Neuroscience is a highly scientific and respected approach in Psychology because it meets all of the criteria for Science.
• Brain scanning takes place in a highly controlled environment and is: lab-based, empirical, objective, replicable. This moves the cognitive approach into an entirely new position in terms of validity and scientific rigour.