ERQ (Brain and Behavior)

Question 1

Discuss/evaluate/contrast/to what extent?
Research methods (approaches to research) used when investigating the relationship between the brain and behaviour.

Answer 1

Maguire et al. (2000) Antonova et al. (2011)

One research method used is Natural experiments utili
zed by Maguire et al. (2000) when studying neuroplasticity, where researchers did not manipuate the IV and measured the DV. An another method could be True experiments utilized by Antonova (2011) where researchers could manipulate the IV as well as the confounding variables. While they both can be valuable methods, they have their own strengths and weaknesses which will be evaluated in this essay.

Maguire et al :

Strengths
- The study used a highly controlled clinical method of obtaining objective data which could then be easily compared and analysed

• The study used a researcher who was blind to the conditions to count the pixels on the MRI images which increases the internal validity.
• Participant annonymity

Limitations
- A correlation cannot show cause-and-effect so it is impossible to know whether the taxi drivers already had naturally high levels of hippocampal grey matter

• The results are only generalisable to male, right-handed London taxi drivers

Antonova et al. :
Strength
- Repeated measures design (controls variability between participants)

• High control over variables
• Cause and effect can be established

Negative

• Small sample size and not generalisable, only 20M adults
• Mild stress could have affected brain imaging results

In conclusion ….