Introduction to techniques Flashcards

1
Q

Which behavioural measures are involved in cognitive and neuropsychological techniques?

A

Accuracy and reaction time

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2
Q

Define accuracy

A

How WELL the participant performs in an experiment.

eg how many words can i participant recall in a memory task?

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3
Q

Define reaction time (RT)

A

A study of mental chronometry. The time taken to respond or complete a task/experiment.

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4
Q

What is the difference between spatial revolution and temporal revolution?

A
  • Spatial revolution = how finely/coarsely a technique samples a spatial location - eg single cell vs 3mm of cortex
  • Temporal revolution = how finely/coarsely a technique samples in time - eg 1-3 miliseconds vs 1-2 seconds.
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5
Q

What is the speed-accuracy trade-off?

A

Mistaking accuracy for speed (RT) or vise versa

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6
Q

Advantages of eye tracking?

A
  • excellent spatial and temporal resolution
  • non-invasive
  • is becoming more portable and less expensive
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7
Q

Disadvantages of eye tracking?

A

Just because a participant has fixed on one piece of information, it does not necessarily mean that they have used that information. How do we know that the information is significant?

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8
Q

Why are computer models used?

A
  • They are used to stimulate cognitive processes

- Useful for testing theories of cognition

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9
Q

What is single cell recording?

A

A micro electrode is inserted into single cells of the brain.

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10
Q

What can single cell recording tell/show us?

A
  • Excellent spatial resolution
  • Can show us cells which respond to only colour/motion/size etc.
  • can characterize the responses of cells in specific cortical regions
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11
Q

Disadvantages of cell recording in animals?

A
  • damaging parts of an animals brain to determine he regions function - other areas may become damaged too
  • There is a limited extent to which animals brains reflect that of a human.
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12
Q

Function and Advantages and disadvantages of ECoG?

A

Function - measures electrical brain signals
using electrodes implanted on the surface
of the brain of neuropsychology patients.
Adv - great temporal and spatial revolution
Disadv - invasive

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13
Q

What is a single dissociation?

A

Comparing the performance of a brain damaged patient with a healthy participant.
When a patient perofrms normally on one task but is impaired on another task.

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14
Q

Disadvantage of a single dissociation?

A
  • Participant could simply be finding one of the tasks too difficult.
  • there may be an imbalance in the task demands
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15
Q

What is a double dissociation?

A

The solution to the problem with single dissociation’s

2 patients each perform normally on opposing tasks.

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16
Q

What does Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) do?

A

Temporarily induces a ‘lesion’ in human participants. This is to observe the effects of disrupting neural function on the ability to perform particular cognitive tasks.

17
Q

Advantages of TMS?

A
  • Good spatial and temporal resolution
  • Non-invasive
  • Often used in conjunction with other methods such as MRI
18
Q

Name a couple brain imaging techniques.

A
  • Structure - CT or CAT scanning, MRI
  • Functional - Electrical and magnetic: EEG and ERP. MEG - these measure neural events.
    Metabolic: PET, fMRI - these measure metabolic changes correlated with neural events
19
Q

Advantages and disadvantages of EEG’s and ERPs?

A

ADV - excellent temporal resolution
- inexpensive
DISADV - poor spatial resolution

20
Q

What is Positron Emission Tomography (PET)?

A
  • measures regional cerebral blood flow (because blood flows to ACTIVE brain areas)
  • radioactive positrons follow the blood flow and detect their position, then outputs an image of the brain areas which are active during a particular task.
21
Q

Advantages and disadvantages of PET?

A

adv - excellent spatial resolution
disadv - poor temporal resolution, invasive
- correlation does not imply causation

22
Q

What is Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging? (fMRI)

A
  • measures blood flow
  • blood contains oxygen which has magnetic properties, so a magnet measures the position of blood with high oxygen levels.
23
Q

Advantages and disadvantages of fMRI?

A

adv - good spatial resolution, non-invasive
disadv - poor temporal resolution
- expensive
- claustrophobic?

24
Q

What is Magnetoencephalography (MEG)?

A
  • electric currents measure magnetic brain activity.

- similar to EEG

25
Q

Advantages and Disadvantages of MEG?

A

adv - good temporal resolution

disadv - spatial resolution is not as good as fMRI but is better than ERPs.