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A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY (AQA) ADVANCED INFO > PAPER 2 - Biopsychology > Flashcards

PAPER 2 - Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the two divisions of the Human Nervous System ?

A

The Central Nervous System (CNS)

The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

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2
Q

What makes up the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ?

A

the BRAIN and SPINAL CORD

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3
Q

What makes up the PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ?

A

NERVE CELLS - carry information to / from CNS

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4
Q

Within the CNS is the brain and spinal cord. What is the BRAIN responsible for ?

A

PHYSIOLOGICAL processes

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5
Q

Within the CNS is the brain and spinal cord. What is the SPINAL CORD responsible for ?

A

RECEIVING / TRANSMITTING information to / from the brain to PNS

reflex actions

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6
Q

What are the two systems within the PNS ?

A

SOMATIC and AUTONOMIC nervous systems

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7
Q

What does the SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM do ?

A
  • voluntary acts
  • receives info from SENSORY RECEPTORS
  • sends info to CNS = controls muscle movement
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8
Q

What does the AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM do ?

A
  • involuntary acts
  • heart rate
  • digestive system
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9
Q

What are the two sub divisions within the Autonomic Nervous System ?

A

SYMPATHETIC and PARASYMPATHETIC nervous systems

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10
Q

What does the SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM do ?

A
  • prepares body for emergency situation

- increases HR / blood pressure / vasodialation

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11
Q

What dies the PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM do ?

A
  • relaxes body

- decreases HR / blood pressure

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12
Q

What are NEURONS ?

A
  • building blocks of nervous system
  • transmit messages
  • electrical and chemical signals
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13
Q

What are DENDRITES ?

A
  • end of neuron

- receive signals (neurons / sensory recpetors)

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14
Q

What are dendrites connected too ?

A

cell body

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15
Q

What is connected to the cell body ?

A

axon

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16
Q

What is the axon covered in ?

A

myelin sheath - protects axon and speeds up electrical impulse

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17
Q

What is at the end of the axon ?

A

terminal buttons

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18
Q

What do TERMINAL BUTTONS do ?

A

communicate with the next neuron

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19
Q

What is the gap between neurons called ?

A

synapse

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20
Q

What are SENSORY NEURONS ?

A
  • carry messages from SENSORY RECEPTORS

- convert messages to neural impulses

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21
Q

What is the structure of sensory neurons ?

A

LONG dendrites and SHORT axon

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22
Q

What are RELAY (INTER) NEURONS ?

A
  • connect sensory to motor
  • allow communication between neurons
  • found in CNS
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23
Q

What is the structure of relay neurons ?

A

SHORT dendrites and SHORT axon

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24
Q

What are MOTOR NEURONS ?

A
  • connect CNS to MUSCLES and GLANDS
  • control muscles (directly and indirectly)
  • release neurotransmitters = trigger response
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25
Q

What is the structure of motor neurons ?

A

SHORT dendrites and LONG axon

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26
Q

What is the structure / order of neurons ?

A

sensory receptors - dendrites - cell body - axon - terminal buttons - next neuron - CNS

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27
Q

What are NEUROTRANSMITTERS ?

A

CHEMICALS that DIFFUSE across the SYNAPSE to the NEXT NEURON

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28
Q

What is EXCITATION ?

A

leads to POST SYNAPTIC neuron becoming POSITIVELY CHARGED = MORE likely to fire

e.g. ADRENALINE

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29
Q

What is INHIBITION ?

A

leads to POST SYNAPTIC neuron becoming NEGATIVELY CHARGED = LESS likely to fire

e.g. GABA

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30
Q

What is the ENDOCRINE SYSTEM ?

A
  • second system
  • made up of specialist glands
  • glands release hormones
  • hormones transmit messages
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31
Q

Name 4 endocrine glands

A
  • thyroid
  • pineal
  • adrenal medulla
  • adrenal cortex
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32
Q

What does the thyroid gland hold and its effects ?

A

THYROXINE

  • metabolic rate
  • growth rate
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33
Q

What does the pineal gland hold and its effects ?

A

MELATONIN

  • arousal
  • biological rhythms
  • sleep-wake cycle
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34
Q

What does the adrenal medulla gland hold and its effects ?

A

ADRENALINE & NORADRENALINE

  • fight / flight
  • heart rate
  • blood flow
  • release glucose and fat
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35
Q

What does the adrenal cortex hold and its effects ?

A

GLUCO-CORTI-COIDS

  • further release of glucose
  • suppression of immune system
  • inflammatory response
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36
Q

What is the FIGHT / FLIGHT RESPONSE ?

A
  • generate from autonomic nervous system
  • reflex response
  • increases reaction time
  • facilitates OPTIMAL FUNCTIONING
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37
Q

What is the process of the fight / flight response ?

A 
stressful event 
|
hypothalamus - send message to...
|
pituitary gland - which releases...
|
adreno-cortico-trophic hormone (ACTH) - causes adrenal glands to release...
|
adrenaline - this triggers...
| 
fight / flight response
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38
Q

FLIGHT / FIGHT RESPONSE: hypothalamus send message to the…

A

PITUITARY GLAND

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39
Q

FIGHT / FLIGHT RESPONSE: pituitary gland releases…

A

ADRENO-CORTICO-TROPHIC HORMONE

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40
Q

FIGHT / FLIGHT RESPONSE: adrenocorticotrophic causes the adrenal glands to release…

A

ADRENALINE

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41
Q

FIGHT / FLIGHT RESPONSE: adrenaline causes physiological changes, leading to the…

A

FIGHT / FLIGHT RESPONSE

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42
Q

FIGHT/ FLIGHT RESPONSE: after the stress is over the … is activated

A

PARASYMPATHETIC BRANCH `

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43
Q

What are the 6 locations in the brain ? (MSVWAB)

A 
motor cortex
somatosensory cortex 
visual cortex 
wernicke's area
auditory cortex 
broac's area
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44
Q

What lobe is Broac’s area in ?

A

FRONTAL

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45
Q

What lobe is the motor cortex in ?

A

FRONTAL

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46
Q

What lobe is the somatosensory cortex in ?

A

PARIETAL

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47
Q

What lobe is the visual cortex in ?

A

OCCIPITAL

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48
Q

What lobe is the Wernicke’s area in ?

A

TEMPORAL

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49
Q

What lobe is the auditory cortex in ?

A

TEMPORAL

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50
Q

Define LOCALISATION OF FUNCTION

A

the concept that different parts of the brain are responsible for INDIVIDUAL and DISCRETE functions

51
Q

What is the MOTOR CORTEX responsible for ?

A

voluntary muscle movement e.g. getting a glass of water

52
Q

What is the SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX responsible for ?

A

processes sensory input from the skin, muscles and joints related to touch - produces sensations of touch pressure, pain and temp

53
Q

What is the VISUAL CORTEX responsible for ?

A

vision - processing colour, shape, size

54
Q

What is the AUDITORY CORTEX responsible for ?

A

hearing - volume, pitch, location of sound

55
Q

What is the WERNICKE’S AREA responsible for ?

A

understanding language

56
Q

What is the BROCA’S AREA responsible for ?

A

producing speech / expressing thoughts through writing

57
Q

What are the common symptoms of aphasia ?

A

problems with…

  • reading
  • listening
  • speaking
  • writing / typing
58
Q

What are the common causes of aphasia ?

A
  • stroke (most common)
  • severe head injury
  • brain tumour
  • progressive neurological conditions
59
Q

What is LOCALISATION ?

A

different areas of the brain being responsible for specific functions

60
Q

What is LATERALISATION ?

A

the idea that different hemispheres have different specialisations

61
Q

What is BROCA’S APHASIA ?

A

inability to articulate speech fluently - disjointed words - understanding of speech is normal

62
Q

What is WERNICKE’S APHASIA ?

A

breakdown in the ability to understand speech - sentences are deficient in meaning

63
Q

How do Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas interact ?

A

sensory region picks up audio / visual input - Wernicke’s recognises language and associates the meaning - Broca’s area identifies what speech needs to be produced - speech produced

64
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of localisation of functions ?

A

SUPPORT RESEARCH

  • Petersen et al = brain scans
  • W area active in listening task
  • B area active in reasoning task

SUPPORT RESEARCH

  • Emmorey = spoken / sign language
  • both activated B area
  • Hickok - damage to W affects understanding of sign

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

  • stroke victims
  • can work out damaged area from symptoms
  • develop treatment
65
Q

What are the WEAKNESSES of localisation of functions ?

A

COUNTER RESEARCH

  • Danelli - case study
  • EB = left hemi removed at 2 due to tumour
  • intensive rehab helped regain speech
  • demonstrates brain plasticity

METHODOLOGY

  • research based on case studies
  • individuals reacts to stroke and treatment in different ways
  • hard to generalise
66
Q

Define BRAIN LATERALISATION

A

two halves of the human brain are not exactly alike - each hemisphere has functional specialisms

67
Q

Who carried out split brain research ?

A

SPERRY (1968)

68
Q

What is split brain research ?

A

observing people who had had their corps callosum cut down the middle to separate the two hemispheres - treat epilepsy

69
Q

Why was split brain research carried out ?

A

to test the capabilities of each hemisphere when separated

70
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of split brain research ?

A

SUPPORT RESEARCH

  • Rasmussen and Miller
  • L hemisphere more concerned with language
  • R hemisphere more concerned with spatial / artistic

METHODOLOGY

  • high control
  • Sperry = stopped natural tendency for pp to move their eye
  • stimulus presented for 200 milliseconds
71
Q

What are the LIMITATIONS of split brain research ?

A

METHODOLOGY (counter argument for the strength)

  • low ecological validity
  • we would usually use both eyes everyday

POPULATION VALIDITY

  • 11 males
  • differences in the operations
  • cannot develop model of hemispheric lateralisation

COUNTER EVIDENCE

  • turk et al = JW - was able to speak out R hemisphere
  • brain can adapt / plasticity
72
Q

What is brain PLASTICITY ?

A

the ability of the brain to CHANGE AND ADAPT, synapses, pathways and structures in light of various experiences

73
Q

What is plasticity like in childhood ?

A

by the end of the first year the brain will have MORE NEURONS than it will ever have

as we get older our brain is SCULPTURED by our ENVIRONMENT and EXPERIENCES

74
Q

What is SYNAPTIC PRUNING ?

A

pathways and networks that aren’t used will die off

75
Q

When does brain plasticity stop ?

A

neural connections can change at ANY AGE as a result of new learning and experiences

76
Q

What research was done into brain plasticity ?

A

MAGUIRE ET AL

  • london taxi drivers
  • 16 male taxi / 50 male non-taxi
  • POSTERIOR HIPPOCAMPUS (spatial skills) larger
  • correlation between years as taxi driver and volume of hippocampus
77
Q

What is FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY ?

A

a form of plasticity whereby other areas of the brain take over the functions of the damaged area

78
Q

How does functional recovery occur ?

A
  • axon sprouting
  • denervation super sensitivity
  • recruitment of homologous (similar) areas
79
Q

What is AXON SPROUTING ?

A

the AXONS of SURVIVING NEURONS grow new BRANCHES that make SYNAPSES in areas of the brain formerly supplied by damaged neurons

80
Q

What is DENERVATION SUPER SENSITIVITY ?

A

this occurs when axons that DO A SIMILAR JOB become AROUSED TO A HIGHER LEVEL, to COMPENSATE for the ones that are lost

81
Q

What is RECRUITMENT PF HOMOLOGOUS AREAS ?

A

example: Broca’s area was damaged - the right side equivalent would take over.

82
Q

What research was done into functional recovery ?

A

DANELLI

  • EB - left hemisphere removed at 2
  • intensive rehabilitation = regain ability to speak
  • 17 years, language was comparable to ‘normal’ controls
83
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of brain plasticity and functional recovery ?

A

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
- therapy e.g. movement therapy

RESEARCH EVIDENCE

  • draganski et al - students before and after finals
  • posterior hippocampus
  • mechelli et al - bilingual = larger parietal cortex
  • schneider et al - college education less likely to have a disability after trauma = cognitive reserve
84
Q

What are the WEAKNESSES of brain plasticity and functional recovery ?

A

NOT STRAIGHT FORWARDS

  • speech requires a lot of effort = fatigue
  • can be affected by other factors e.g. stress and alcohol

GENDER

  • women better at attention / memory / language
  • men better at visual analytical skills
  • questions extent
85
Q

What is an fMRI ?

A
  • records energy released by haemoglobin
  • active area = more oxygen
  • 1sec time difference (temporal resolution)
86
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of fMRI’s ?

A

NON-INVASIVE

  • nothing is inserted into body
  • no brain exposure
  • more ethical

OBJECTIVE

  • no verbal report
  • not affected by researcher bias
87
Q

What are the LIMITATIONS of fMRI’s ?

A

IMPRACTICAL

  • expensive
  • patient must be still for clear image
  • uncomfortable
  • temporal resolution
88
Q

What is the full name of an fMRI ?

A

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

89
Q

What is an EEG ?

A
  • measures electrical activity in the brain
  • electrodes detect small electrical changes
  • shown on graph
  • used to show neurological abnormalities - epilepsy
90
Q

What is the full name of an EEG ?

A

Electroencephalogram

ELEC TROEN CEPH ALOGRAM

91
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of an EEG ?

A

ACCURACY
- real time

NON-INVASIVE

92
Q

What are the WEAKESSES of an EEG ?

A

NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH

  • gives general overview
  • cannot pinpoint exact source of activity

SURFACE MEASUREMENT

  • superficial regions of the brain - not very deep
  • limited in what we can study
93
Q

What is an ERP ?

A
  • more specific than EEG

- uses statistical averaging techniques to filter put extraneous brain activity

94
Q

What is the full name of an ERP ?

A

Event-related Potentials

95
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of an ERP ?

A

ACCURACY

  • continuous measurement
  • able to determine how processing is affected by experimental manipulations

DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS
- response to stimuli is measured without individual giving a response

96
Q

What are the WEAKNESSES of an ERP ?

A

SURFACE MEASUREMENT

- only detects neural activity of a certain strength

97
Q

What is a POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION ?

A
  • see where damage has occurred
  • happen on people who had rare disorders
  • establish link between psychiatric disorders and brain abnormalities
98
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of post-mortems ?

A

FULL ACCESS TO THE BRAIN

  • detailed / deeper area
  • hypothalamus / hippocampus
99
Q

What are the WEAKNESSES of post-mortems ?

A

LACK OF CONTROL

  • confounding variables e.g. cause of death
  • influence results

RETROSPECTIVE

  • issues with establishing causation
  • observed damage may not be a result of the suspected cause
100
Q

What is a BIOLOGICAL RHYTHM ?

A
  • something in the body that follows a regular cycle
101
Q

What is a biological rhythm governed by ?

A

endogenous pacemakers

exogenous zeitgebers

102
Q

What are ENDOGENOUS PACEMAKERS ?

A

body’s internal biological ‘clocks’

103
Q

What are EXOGENOUS ZEITGEBERS ?

A

external changes in the environment

104
Q

What are CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS ?

A
  • lasts 24 hours
  • sleep / wake cycle
  • regulated by release of hormones / metabolic rate / body temp
105
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of circadian rhythms ?

A

SUPPORT RESEARCH

  • folkard et al
  • 12 pp lived in a dark cave for 3 weeks
  • gradually sped up clock 24 hr to 22 hr
  • none of the pp could adjust

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

  • shift work
  • consequences of adjusting cycle (3x heart disease)
106
Q

What are the LIMITATIONS of circadian rhythms ?

A

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

  • duffy
  • rise early or go to bed late
  • despite EPs being innate there are some variations

METHODOLOGY

  • poor control
  • pps were isolated from variables that might affect their circadian rhythms except artificial light
  • artificial light may be confounding variable

METHODOLOGY

  • small sample size
  • individual differences
107
Q

What is the SCN ?

A
  • suprachiasmatic nuclei
  • example of endogenous pacemaker
  • sleep wake cycle
  • regulated by light
  • allows biological clocks to adjust to changing patterns of daylight
  • built in circadian rhythm
108
Q

Where is the SCN located ?

A

hypothalamus

109
Q

What research was done in to the SCN ?

A
  • ralph et al
  • removed SCN from genetically abnormal hamsters with 20hr circadian rhythm
  • put into normal hamsters with 24 hr rhythm
  • adult hamster’s cycle changed to 20hr
110
Q

What is the PINEAL GLAND ?

A
  • receives signals from SCN
  • increases melatonin at night
  • inhibits brain mechanisms
111
Q

How do SOCIAL CUES affect the sleep / wake cycle ?

A
  • mealtimes

- adapting to local times of eating when travelling changes circadian rhythms

112
Q

What research evidence has been done on social cues ?

A

klein and wegmann - jet lag - adjust better when they go outside and surrounded by social cues of new time zones

113
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers

A

RESEARCH EVIDENCE
- siffre - cave - no external light - circadian rhythm increased past 24 hrs, shows importance of exogenous zeitgebers

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
- jet lag - shift work - increased car accidents and heart disease - help improve lifestyle - long periods on same shift routine - allows pacemakers and zeitgebers to resynchronise

114
Q

What are the LIMITATIONS of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers

A

METHODOLOGY
- siffre - small sample size, only himself - repeated when 60 and internal clock was slower - hard to generalise due to low population validity

METHODOLOGY
supporting studies in artificial environments e.g siffre in a cave - endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers interact in real life - does not reflect real life so siffre lacks ecological validity

CONFLICTING RESEARCH
- arctic circle - 6 month light / 6 month no light - maintain sleep cycle

115
Q

What are INFRADIAN RHYTHMS ?

A

longer than 24 hours

116
Q

What is an example of a monthly cycle ?

A

menstrual cycle - mainly endogenous (hormones)

117
Q

What is the menstrual cycle ?

A
  • monthly changes in hormone levels
  • oestrogen develops egg
  • progesterone rise = thinker lining
  • womb lining sheds
118
Q

What research has been done into the menstrual cycle ?

A

McClintock

  • 29 women
  • odourless compounds from armpit of other women
  • 68% cycle became closer to ‘odour donor’
  • shows exogenous affects
119
Q

What is an example of an annual cycle ?

A

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - mainly endogenous (light)

120
Q

What is SAD ?

A
  • occur in winter months
  • persistent low mood
  • lack of sunlight = more melatonin produced
  • effects production of serotonin
121
Q

What is an ULTRADIAN RHYTHM ?

A

less than one day e.g. sleep cycle

122
Q

What is BRAC ?

A 
-Basic Rest Activity Cycle
Kleitman 
- 90 min ultradian rhythm continues even in the day 
- periods of alertness 
- periods of fatugue 
- human mind can focus for 90 mins
123
Q

What are the STRENGTHS of infradian and ultradian rhythms ?

A

RESEARCH EVIDENCE-ULTRADIAN

  • 9 pps
  • EEG during sleep
  • everyone had REM sleep
  • those woken in REM were more likely to remember dreams than in any other sleep cycle
  • supports idea that sleep is ultradian rhythm that goes through distinct stages
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS-INFRADIAN
- SAD's most effective treatment is phototherapy (lightbox) = strong light in morning and evening
- reset melatonin for people with SAD
- relieved 60% of sufferers 
however
- placebo effect of 30%
124
Q

What are the LIMITATIONS of infradian and ultradian ?

A

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

  • assessed sleep duration / time to fall asleep / amount of time in each stage
  • large differences in each stages especially 3 and 4

CONFLICTING EVIDENCE

  • 186 chinese women
  • dorms together
  • periods did not sync

A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY (AQA) ADVANCED INFO (11 decks)

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