Draganski juggling study Flashcards
What was the aim of Draganski et al. (2004)?
To investigate whether structural changes in the brain would occur in response to learning and then ceasing juggling.
Who were the participants in Draganski et al. (2004)?
A self-selected sample of 24 adults aged 20-24 years old (21 female; 3 male) with no prior experience of juggling.
What was the procedure used in Draganski et al. (2004)?
Participants were randomly allocated to jugglers or non-jugglers. Jugglers were taught a 3-ball cascade juggling routine, practiced until mastery, then had subsequent MRI scans after learning and after stopping juggling. Non-jugglers had MRI scans at pre-determined intervals.
What were the results of Draganski et al. (2004)?
Initially, no difference in grey matter between jugglers and non-jugglers. After practicing juggling, jugglers showed increased grey matter in the mid-temporal cortex. Three months after stopping, grey matter in this region decreased but remained higher than initial levels. Non-jugglers showed no changes.
What was the conclusion of Draganski et al. (2004)?
Grey matter increases in specific brain regions in response to learning (neuroplasticity) and shrinks in the absence of learning (neural pruning), providing evidence for both neuroplasticity and neural pruning.
What is a strength of Draganski et al. (2004)?
Good internal validity due to baseline measurements, allowing observation of real changes; findings can inform interventions and therapies for degenerative brain conditions.
What is a limitation of Draganski et al. (2004)?
Self-selecting sample not representative of the wider population, and lack of controlled conditions during juggling learning, leading to variability in practice levels affecting neural growth and pruning.
What is the mid-temporal cortex?
The mid-temporal cortex is a brain region associated with visual memory, coordination, and movement, where increased grey matter was observed in jugglers after learning.
What is visual memory?
Visual memory is the ability to remember or recall information such as shapes, colors, and spatial relationships from visual stimuli.
What are structural changes in the brain?
Structural changes refer to alterations in the physical structure of the brain, such as changes in grey matter volume, resulting from learning or experience.
