Methodology ; Biological Approach

Question 1

What are some of the limitations of case studies?

Answer 1

• No independent variable manipulated —> no C-and-E relationship.
• Single Individuals, low generalizability
• Cannot be replicated as it occurs naturally
• May be difficult to verify info about the paitent before accident took place
• ## Psychometric info is often reliant on family members

Question 2

Data triangulation quality

Answer 2

Consistent findings

Question 3

Anterograde Amnesia

Answer 3

Cannot encode new memories but still retrieve events from the onset of amnesia.

Question 4

Episodic Knowledge

Answer 4

Memory of Events

Question 5

Semantic Knowledge

Answer 5

General Knowledge about the world

Question 6

The MRI

Answer 6

Magnetic resonance imaging, uses a magnetic field and radio waves to map the activity of hydrogen molecules which are present in different brain tissue to different degrees.

Question 7

MRI Scanning advantages:

Answer 7

• Non-invasive procedure, no undue harm to participants.
• High resolution, good understanding of brain structure.

Question 8

MRI Scanning limitations

Answer 8

• Does not map brain activity, only structure
• Research is correlational in nature, hard to establish cause-and-effect relationship.

Question 9

PET Scanning

Answer 9

Detects gamma rays emitted by a radioactive tracer injected into a participant, based on the assumption that areas of high radioactivity have higher brain activity frequencies.

Question 10

PET Scanning strengths and limitations:

Answer 10

• Allows participants to perform psychological tasks while being observed for brain activity.
• It can be invasive or cause undue harm to participants under low controlled. conditions.
• Quite slow with low resolution.

Question 11

The fMRI

Answer 11

Measure changes in brain activity by tracking changes in blood flow and oxegyn levels, based on the assumption that more oxygen is used by an area that is more brain active.

Question 12

fMRI strengths and limitations

Answer 12

• Non-invasive unlike PET scan
• Greater quality rather than a static image
• Not a natural environment for cognition so it may lack ecological validity.
• Some activity may be clouded by anxiety or reaction to a machine.
• Use of colors may exaggerate the activity of the brain,
• Sometimes the cause of activity is not specific, you can only point out ranges of brain frequency.