Is Nueroscience Ethical?

Question 1

Introduction to neuroscience/ what is nueroscience? (Two bullet points mentioned)

Answer 1

Neuroscience is the scientific study of the brain and the nervous system
Advances in technology combined with knowledge about how the brain and nervous system work fall under the growing area of scientific study ‘’nueroscience’’

Question 2

Criminal behaviour positive. (Three bullet points mentioned )

Answer 2

It has helped us understand the basis of some criminal behaviour
Raine, Buschbaum and Lacasse used PET cscans techniques to find lower levels of glucose metabolism in the frontal cortex of murders compared to non-murders and also higher levels of glucose metabolism in the right hemisphere amygdala and lower levels in the left hemisphere amygdala.
Shows that the brain function could explain why some individuals may be predisposed to committing murders.

Question 3

Criminal behaviour negative (Three bullet points mentioned)

Answer 3

Using biological predisposition for criminal behaviour may not allow criminals to take full responsibility for their actions.
The case of Bradley Waldrop of Tennessee demonstrates this as Bradley was on trial for the dearth pentaly after killing his wife with a machete. Using molecular tests and DNA sequencing, professor William Barnet, a foresensic psychiatrist, presented in a court case of Bradley having a low activity variation of the MAOA gene. “Voluntary manslaughter” oppposed to “first degree manslaughter”

Question 4

Biological gender differences positive (Five bullet points ,mentioned )

Answer 4

Helped us understand gender differences in brain developments
Cahill found that brain imaging studies indicated brain differences between males and females.
Women’s hippocampi {critical learning and memory} was higher.
Men’s amygdala {aggression and fear response} was bigger
Shows key biological differences between genders by showing the differences in developments. Intervention and appropriate teaching methods can be used to benefit both genders in schools

Question 5

Biological differences negative. (Four bullet points)

Answer 5

Using neuroscience to highlight differences between males and females can lead to alpha bias {exaggerated differences between men and women}Mondshein (2000) found mothers had lower expectations of baby girls learning how to crawl compared to baby boys
Need to consider the impact the bias has on society, leading to certain genders being treated inferior to others
Social implications raised- gender bias can impact development skills for certain genders, prevents them from accessing the same opportunities as others.

Question 6

Childhood experiences positive. (Three bullet points mentioned )

Answer 6

Childhood experiences can affect our levels of certain hormones found by using nueroscience
University of Exeter (2020)- increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol in babies and small children who are seperated from their parent, especially their mothers, could have long term genetic impact on future generations. Environmental factors interact with genes, so that the genes can be altered, these genes can be passed through generations.
Therefore nueroscience has helped us to understand how we care for small children and how is affects their future and their cortisol levels overtime.
Ethical as it helps improve quality of life for many as drug therapy will help people with childhood trauma relieve some of their symptoms.

Question 7

Improve marketing techniques - negative

Answer 7

Nueromarketing has access to our inner thoughts. Wilson et al (2008) believes commercial integration of nueromarketing research will allow companies to be able to manipulate our thoughts and our free will by creating individualised advertising make unnecessary products seem like a necessity

Question 8

Conclusion for nueroscience (Three points)

Answer 8

Benefits outweigh the cost- not many ethical issues
Helps us understand criminality
Helps us understand gender differences