Pre Adult Brain Development (Biological) Flashcards
What studies relate to the pre adult brain?
Huttenlocher (1979)
Steignberg (2008)
Casey (2008)
Outline research by Huttenlocher (1979)
Huttenlocher found that prefrontal cortex is one of the last parts of the brain to mature.
This is used for anticipating outcomes and reasoning.
Outline research by Steignberg (2008)
Found that the limbic system (emotional and social processing) develops earlier than the prefrontal cortex.
During adolescence, the limbic system dominates the prefrontal cortex, making risky decisions more common.
Outline research by Casey (2008)
The ventral striatum is responsible for rewards, wants and desires.
The pre-frontal cortex isn’t fully matured (decision making) meaning that adolescents haven’t skills to effectively analyse risk in the same way as adults.
What was the aim of research by Barkley-Levenson and Galvan (2014)
Wanted to see whether adolescents attach more value to rewards than adults do.
What research method was used?
This was a quasi-experiment using an independent measures design, conducted in a laboratory.
What was the IV?
whether the person was an adult or an adolescent.
What was the DV?
the performance was measured on a simple mixed gambles game and an fMRI was used to measure Ventral Striatum (VS) activity.
What was the sample used?
19 healthy, right-handed adults (ages 25-30).
22 healthy, right-handed adolescents (ages 13-17)
Self selected, recruited through poster and internet advertisements in America
Outline the procedure used?
Participants were asked about their primary source of income and how much they spend a month.
Participants were given $20 for completing the session and they used it playing a money based game during an fMRI
One week later they returned for their MRI scan. 50/50 chance of winning or loosing. There were a range of profit values between +$20 to -$20.
Participants had to decide whether they would be willing to gamble for real money.
What were the neural results?
More activation of the VS in adolescents as the EV increased compared to adults.
VS activation was still greater in adolescents.
What were the conclusions from this research?
Adolescents place greater value on rewards than do adults.
Neural representations of value in adolescents are linked to increased risk taking behaviour
Outline how the GDL is a strategy to reduce risk taking behaviour?
Graduated Driver Licencing Schemes (GDL)
McCartt (2003)
Implemented a system in the US where young people aren’t allowed a full licence until they complete a probationary period. During this time they had to follow a list of rules:
Not driving at night 10pm to 5am
No passengers under the age of 20 in the car
McCartt reported a significant reduction in crashes in young drivers.
Outline how the operant conditioning is a strategy to reduce risk taking behaviour?
Parents can help their children by taking about the consequences of risk taking behaviour. Parents could use positive reinforcement by rewarding their children for making safe decisions. Skinner.
Social learning theory and conformity (Bandura)
