PSY1004 SEMESTER 2 - WEEK 7

Question 1

name basic level cognitive functions

Answer 1

limbic system- attention, perception, memory

Question 2

name high level cognitive functions

Answer 2

pre frontal cortex- logical reasoning, problem solving, EF
maturation of prefrontal cortex during adolescence links to maturation of cognitive functions

Question 3

how can we test flexibility of visual perception

Answer 3

ambiguous figures and illusions

Question 4

when presented with ambigious figures, what do 3-5 year olds report, and young adolescent (11-13)

Answer 4

3-5 see one figure, ‘gestalt’ and only see second figure when shown by adult
11-13 perceive both more flexibly, as components and wholes

Question 5

how can selective attention be used for illusions

Answer 5

ability to allocate attentional resources and focus on specific objects, improves with age and important in problem solving to ignore irrelevant stimulus

Question 6

what is the central-incidental learning task, and how do adolescent do

Answer 6

sets of cards containing 2 objects belonging to different categories, ppts asked to remember 1 “central category, not pay attention to other “incidental”
adolescents remember more central than incidental due to good selective attention

Question 7

define processing speed

Answer 7

time it takes brain to receive or output info, or speed in which mental calculations carried out

Question 8

explain developmental trajectory of processing speeds

Answer 8

rapid development during childhood, due to maturation of white matter (myelination, sub-cortical regions, quicker neuronal conduction)

Question 9

how can we measure white matter organisation

Answer 9

diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)

Question 10

how can we measure processing speed

Answer 10

cross out subtest of Woodcock-Johnson Tests of achievement

Question 11

explain WASI subtest measuring visuospatial fluid reasoning

Answer 11

select geometric visual stimulus accurately completing array of squares and patterns

Question 12

what decay can STM be subject to, and capacity failings

Answer 12

temporal decay = lost over time
chunk capacity limit- storage limit

Question 13

what can STM span tasks measure

Answer 13

present series of items at rate of 1/sec, and repeat back in the same order

Question 14

outline how spatial span task is used (for STM)

Answer 14

blocks presented in particular arrangement and experimenter taps blocks in specific order
ppt required to repeat sequence

Question 15

explain age differences in STM

Answer 15

v. early adolescence less immediate recall than midadolescence
age-related improvement remain constant throughout different time spans (5-30s), not just a function of temporal decay

Question 16

give explanations of age related STM improvement

Answer 16

vol change of medial temporal lobe, grey matter due to sexual maturation (limbic system difference)

Question 17

how can you measure development change in WM

Answer 17

activating STM via modified span tasks (give ppts series of item and ask to reproduce in reverse order) or letter span tasks (list of random letters, repeat back letter)

Question 18

explain LTM changes in adolescent

Answer 18

capacity stays same, but strategy used to form memories do change

Question 19

explain how memories form using sciency terminology

Answer 19

brain plasticity (neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, pruning)
during sensitive periods, plasticity is more experience-expectant which primes us for unprepared situation

Question 20

what STM strategy do younger children use

Answer 20

rehearsal strategies, is more effective

Question 21

what STM strategies do older children use

Answer 21

complex, elaborative strategies eg: first 3 numbers days in year, last 2 are number of players in football team
cluster effect = chunking item

Question 22

explain development of STM into LTM strategies

Answer 22

increases in sophistication. young children can use elaboration but in limited ways

Question 23

outline how non-verbal facial recognition can be tested (WM)

Answer 23

present faces, then pair of faces (including one thats already been seen)

Question 24

outline how delayed spatial recall can be studied (WM)

Answer 24

dots flashed at different locations on screen short/long delay and indicate locations of dot using pen

Question 25

how can we test spatial memory span (WM)

Answer 25

sequences tapped on 3 blocks in front of ppts, which they needed to reproduce in correct order (tests immediate recall, attention) and bwackwards (test non-verbal WM)

Question 26

how can we test spatial self-ordered search (WM)

Answer 26

measure abilities of conducting organised search of locations to obtain tokens hidden at each location
require strategic self-monitoring to organise and handle ongoing demands of info updating

Question 27

at what age does recall-guided action for single units of spatial info develop

Answer 27

11-12

Question 28

at what age does ability to maintain and manipulate multiple spatial units in WM

Answer 28

13-15

Question 29

at what age does strategic self-organisation develops by

Answer 29

16-17

Question 30

explain developing face recognition, and age during adolescence

Answer 30

via rapid development of face processing, age 16 suggesting qualitative change

Question 31

explain encoding switch hypothesis of face processing

Answer 31

info about faces represented in memory differently in differing age. younger child relies on info on individual features but adolescent use info about feature configuraiton

Question 32

explain research (Mondloch, 2003) into facial cognition recognition

Answer 32

presented target face with 3 others and asked questions (differing expression, orientation etc on each trial)
younger children make more error suggesting adolescents use more relevant info due to experience or brain maturation and also have better memory so able to encode and store relevant info too

Question 33

explain research (Fuhrmann, 2016) for face perception and memory using Cambridge Face memory task

Answer 33

assess ability to learn and recognise novel faces via tapping into memory and perception
face cognitive ability matures late (16) due to protracted development in identity perception, and female advantage for face memory, but not face perception
gaze perception matures earlier
perhaps due to specific temporal lobe area and white matter development