Maguire: Brain Plasticity (Biological) Flashcards
What was the background to Maguire’s study?
- Research found increased hippocampal volume in small mammals and birds who use spatial memory eg. food storing
- Previous research didn’t show whether the brain could change or the role of the hippocampus in humans
What was the aim of Maguire’s research?
To show that the hippocampus in the human brain is the structure associated with spatial memory and navigation
What research method did Maguire use?
Quasi experiment as the IV (whether the participant was a London taxi driver or not) was naturally occurring
What was the DV in Maguire’s research?
The volume of the hippocampi including their anterior, body, and posterior regions
How was hippocampus volume measured?
MRI scans using the two techniques of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and pixel counting
What design was used in Maguire’s study?
Matched participants design. Matched for health, handedness, sex, and age
What was the sample of the experiment group?
- 16 taxi drivers
- Healthy
- Right handed
- Male
- London taxi driver
- Mean age 44
What was the sample for the control group?
- Did not drive taxis
- 50 for the VBM analysis
- 16 for the pixel counting
- Matched to experiment group
What was the procedure for Maguire’s research?
- VBM is an automatic procedure to identify grey matter in the brain
- Pixel counting compared the volume of anterior, body, and posterior cross sections of the taxi drivers’ hippocampi
- Images were analysed by one person with experience who was blind to whether the scan was of a taxi driver or a control
What were the findings of Maguire’s research?
- Mostly no significant differences between the brains
- Taxi drivers had significantly increased grey matter volume in the posterior hippocampi and the control and greater volume in the anterior hippocampi
- All had a significantly greater hippocampal body volume of the right than the left
- Positive correlation between length of time as a taxi driver and posterior hippocampal volume and a negative correlation for the anterior hippocampal volume
What conclusions can be drawn from Maguire’s research?
- There are regionally specific structural differences in the hippocampi of London taxi drivers and those who aren’t
- Navigational skills are associated with a relative redistribution of grey matter in the hippocampus
- Supports nurture debate
- Local plasticity allows the brain to adapt in response to prolonged environmental stimuli
What are strengths and weaknesses of the research methods and techniques?
- Highly controlled lab setting
- Quasi so low internal validity
- Brain imaging techniques costly to carry out
- Correlation found but no causal relationship
What are strengths and weaknesses of different types of data collected?
- Quantitative data provided statistical analysis to compare the two groups
- Lacks context of thought process
What ethical considerations are there?
- Carried out according to the British Psychological Society’s ethical guidelines
- No deception, informed consent given, had the right to withdraw, and not harmed
Can Maguire’s research be considered valid?
- High levels of control: gender, handedness, health, and age
- Concurrent validity due to the two different techniques
- Falsifiable
- Comparative studies draw the same conclusions
- Low internal validity as IV was naturally occurring
