LECTURE 3 Flashcards
NEURON
Cell specialized for electrical communication
* Receives connections from other neurons (input)
and projects connections to other neurons (output)
* Connections can be excitatory or inhibitory
* Connections change through learning
ACTION POTENTIAL
STUDY DIAGRAM
BRAIN
Composed of ~46 million neurons and trillions of connections between each. Hindbrain, midbrain,
forebrain.
CORTEX
Outer surface of forebrain. Divided into 4 main lobes. It is wrinkled to maximize surface area and have efficient blood flow to the brain.
4 DIVISIONS OF CORTEX
Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, Occipital
WHITE AND GREY MATTER
White matter represents connections between neurons. They are present deeper within the cortex. Grey matter is present on the surface of the cortex, composed of cell bodies of nerves.
FRONTAL LOBE
Coordinates information from other association areas, controls some behavior and reasoning skills.
PARIETAL LOBE
Sensory information from skin, muscoskeletal system, viscera and taste buds.
OCCIPITAL LOBE
Vision
TEMPORAL LOBE
Hearing
GUSTATORY CORTEX
Taste
OLFACTORY CORTEX
Smell
SKELETAL MUSCLE MOVEMENT
Motor association areas
THALAMUS
Sensory processing
HIPPOCAMPUS
Memory formation
AMYGDALA
Emotion-based learning
CONTRALATERAL
Each hemisphere receives input about, as well as
controls, opposite side of body.
Brain is composed of two structurally symmetrical hemispheres (Functionally distinct for many processes). Communication between hemispheres occurs at the corpus callosum.
LEFT HEMISPHERE
Language (incl. Broca’s & Wernicke’s areas)
* fast temporal processing?
* local detail (small details)
RIGHT HEMISPHERE
Spatial processing and global configuration
10% BRAIN USAGE DEBATE
No, brain activates different areas for different activities.
fMRI
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
* Measures blood flow amount to areas in the brain
* High spatial resolution, low temporal resolution
(multiple seconds)
EEG
Electro encephalograph
* Measures electrical changes in the scalp
* Low spatial resolution, high temporal resolution (a
few milliseconds)
TMS
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
* Uses magnetic fields to temporarily disrupt
electrical activity in a certain region of the brain
* Effects on cognition are then assessed
Brain Injury
Can be due to traumatic injury, stroke,
or disease.
* Damaged area is localized and effects on cognition are studied
* Compare patients to find double dissociations
EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
Compare two or more experimental conditions to
find systematic differences
* Uses scientific method and statistical analysis
* Independent and Dependent Variables
* Most common dependent variables are:
* Accuracy – number (or %) of correct responses
* Latency – time to make a response
* Use statistics to explore differences between
conditions
MOTION TRACKING
Provides continuous data.
- Eye tracking:
* Records eye movements while looking at stimuli or reading
* Can be used to create heat maps showing where people look
MENTAL CHRONOMETRY
Neural communication takes time
* Every stage in a mental process takes some amount of time (latency)
* If two similar processes take reliably different amounts of time, there is some difference between them
* Theoretical source of the difference up for debate
ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
The degree to which an experiment’s findings would hold up in everyday life
