Individual Differences Flashcards
What are some examples of hot topics in individual differences research?
● Cultural Differences: Brain structure, function, and cognitive performance
● Genetic & Environmental (Lifestyle) Influences: Brain structure, function, and cognitive performance
How does smoking affect brain structure and function?
● Structure: Associated with decreased brain volume.
● Function: Prefrontal activity is reduced in smokers compared to non-smokers. History of smoking is related to the extent of diminished attentional network activity.
What cognitive deficits are associated with smoking?
● Deficits can be observed as early as 43-53 years of age.
● Smoking is associated with deficits in:
○ Global Cognition
○ Memory
○ Executive Functioning
How do sleep disturbances affect brain structure and function?
● Structure: Associated with reduced brain fibers and volume.
● Function: Adolescents with poorer sleep had less recruitment in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and greater insula activation.
What are the benefits of sleep?
● Plays an important role in the consolidation of memory and learning.
● Essential for attention and concentration.
● Associated with emotional regulation, decision-making, and problem-solving.
What have twin studies revealed about the heritability of brain structure and function?
● Twin studies show that total brain gray and white matter volume is highly heritable.
● These findings suggest that many individual differences in attention, cognition, language, and visual processing are associated with genetics.
What are three ways that genes and environment can interact to influence brain structure, function, and cognition?
Gene-environment correlation explains this interaction and is categorized into:
● Passive: Genetic similarity between parents and their children
● Active: Individuals seek out environments consistent with their genetic predisposition
● Evocative: Individuals elicit reactions or responses from their environment
Provide an example of how the gene-environment correlation can influence brain structure, function, and the risk of schizophrenia.
● Cannabis abuse and genetic variants associated with schizophrenia independently result in decreases in white matter volume.
● An interaction between cannabis abuse and genetics influences white matter brain volume.
● Heavy cannabis use and the presence of genetic variants on specific genes contribute to decreased white matter volume.
● This interaction also influences cognitive performance and may increase the risk of schizophrenia
What are some examples of how hormones regulate physiological and behavioral activities?
Hormones regulate and control:
● Mood
● Metabolism
● Reproductive functions
● Hunger
● Sexual arousal
● Activation or inhibition of the immune system
● Regulation of circadian rhythm
Hormones influence other organs/brain regions such as the hypothal
What are estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone associated with?
● Estrogen vs. testosterone: Associated with female and male reproductive systems, respectively.
● Progesterone: A steroid and sex hormone involved with the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.
What are some sex differences observed in brain structure?
● On average, females have smaller brains than males.
● Males have a higher percentage of white matter and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), whereas females have more gray matter.
● Young females have larger hippocampal volume, whereas young males have a larger amygdala.
● Older females see decreases in hippocampal volume and parietal lobes, whereas males see the most volume reduction in the whole brain, frontal, and temporal lobes.
How do cultural and environmental factors contribute to sex differences in cognition?
● Sex differences in mathematics are not found in all places, and in some places, females show an advantage.
● Female advantages in reading and male advantages in mental rotation remain consistent across many nations.
● These differences may relate to factors like:
○ Environmental Exposures
○Gender Equality
○ Gender Stereotypes
What is the take-home message regarding individual differences?
Biological/Genetic, environmental, and cultural factors all influence brain structure, brain functioning, and cognitive performance. These factors interact with each other and, of course, our brain and cognition. Individual differences can influence research studies analyzing the brain and cognition. More research is needed to understand the impact of these differences.
