SAQ - biological

Question 1

Explain one technique used to study the brain in relation to behavior with reference to one study.

Answer 1

Draganski et al. (2004)
- MRI Scanning
- MRI scans showed increased grey matter in areas associated with motion and visual processing after practice.

Question 2

Explain localization of function, with reference to one study.

Answer 2

Maguire et al. (2000)
- London taxi drivers, who navigate complex city routes, had larger posterior hippocampi than non-taxi drivers.

taxi

Question 3

Explain neuroplasticity, with reference to one study.

Answer 3

Draganski et al. (2004)
- MRI scans showed increased grey matter in brain areas associated with motion and visual processing after learning - neuroplasticity, the brain physically changed in response to learning a new skill.

juggling

Question 4

Explain the effect of one neurotransmitter on human behavior, with reference to one study.

Answer 4

Antonova et al. (2011)
- Participants received scopolamine (which blocks acetylcholine) or a placebo before performing a spatial memory task. Those given scopolamine showed reduced hippocampal activity and performed worse; suggests acetylcholine enhances spatial memory in humans.

acetylcholine antagonist scopolamine, arena task

Question 5

Explain one ethical consideration in one study of the brain and behavior.

Answer 5

Newcomer et al. (1999)
- Potential harm due to cortisol administration; Participants were given high levels of cortisol to assess its effect on memory. High cortisol can negatively impact health. Ethical considerations include ensuring informed consent, minimizing harm, and monitoring participants for adverse effects.

high cortisol

Question 6

Explain the use of one research method in one study of the brain and behavior.

Answer 6

Draganski et al. (2004)
- Laboratory Experiment; participants were randomly assigned to learn juggling or not. Brain scans before and after showed changes in grey matter. The experimental method allowed control over variables and demonstrated a cause-effect relationship between juggling practice and brain structure changes.

juggling.

Question 7

Explain the role of one antagonist with reference to one study.

Answer 7

Antonova et al. (2011)
- Scopolamine blocks acetylcholine receptors. Participants who received scopolamine showed impaired spatial memory and reduced hippocampal activity; illustrates how an antagonist can inhibit neurotransmitter function and affect behavior.

acetylcholine antagonist scopolamine, arena task

Question 8

Explain the formation of neural networks with the use of one study.

Answer 8

Draganski et al. (2004)
- Learning to juggle led to increased grey matter in certain brain areas, indicating the formation of new neural networks associated with visual and motor activities; shows how new skills can create new neural connections.

juggling

Question 9

Explain neural pruning with reference to one study.

Answer 9

Draganski et al. (2004)
- After participants stopped practicing juggling, follow-up scans showed a reduction in grey matter. This suggests neural pruning occurred, where the brain eliminated unused neural connections, highlighting the brain’s adaptability.

juggling

Question 10

Explain the role of one agonist with reference to one study.

Answer 10

Martinez and Kesner (1991)
- Physostigmine increases acetylcholine levels by inhibiting its breakdown. Rats injected with physostigmine navigated a maze faster, showing that the agonist enhanced memory formation by increasing neurotransmitter activity.

rats

Question 11

Explain the role of inhibitory or excitatory synapses in one behavior with reference to one study.

Answer 11

Martinez and Kesner (1991)
- Acetylcholine acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter in memory formation. By increasing acetylcholine levels, rats showed improved maze learning, demonstrating how excitatory synapses facilitate learning and memory.

rats

Question 12

Explain the effect of one hormone on human behavior with reference to one study.

Answer 12

Newcomer et al. (1999)
- Participants received varying levels of cortisol. Those with high cortisol levels performed worse on verbal memory tasks, indicating that cortisol can impair memory, especially under stress.

stress hormone

Question 13

Explain one effect of one potential pheromone in human behavior with reference to one study.

Answer 13

Wedekind et al. (1995)
- Women smelled T-shirts worn by men and preferred the scent of those with dissimilar MHC genes. This suggests that pheromones may influence mate selection to enhance immune system diversity in offspring.

ew perverted study

Question 14

Explain the use of one research method in one study of hormones or pheromones.

Answer 14

Wedekind et al. (1995)
- Double-blind Experiment; neither the participants nor the researchers knew the MHC types during the experiment, this method reduces bias and allows for objective measurement of pheromone effects on mate preference.

perverted ass study

Question 15

Explain one ethical consideration in one study of hormones or pheromones.

Answer 15

Newcomer et al. (1999)
- Potential health risks from cortisol

stress hormone

Question 16

Explain the role of one gene in one behavior with reference to one study.

Answer 16

Caspi et al. (2003)
- Individuals with a short allele of the 5-HTT gene and who experienced stress were more likely to develop depression. This suggests the gene moderates the impact of stress on depressive symptoms.

depression gene

Question 17

Explain how genetic similarities help psychologists in the study of genes and behavior with reference to one study.

Answer 17

Bailey and Pillard (1990)
- By studying identical twins reared apart, researchers found high correlations in sexualities, indicating a strong genetic component. Genetic similarities allow psychologists to isolate the influence of genes on behavior.

gay twins.

Question 18

Explain one evolutionary explanation of behavior with reference to one study.

Answer 18

Fessler et al. (2005)
- Pregnant women in their first trimester reported higher disgust sensitivity, especially towards food. This may be an evolutionary adaptation to avoid foodborne illnesses that could harm the fetus during a critical developmental period.

“milk grosses me out”

Question 19

Explain one ethical consideration in one study of genes and behavior.

Answer 19

Caspi et al. (2003)
- Confidentiality and psychological impact; revealing a genetic predisposition to depression could cause distress.

derpression gene

Question 20

Explain the use of one research method in one study of genes and behavior.

Answer 20

Bailey and Pillard (1990)
- The study assessed the correlation between genetics and sexuality by comparing identical twins raised apart; this method helps identify the degree to which genetic factors influence behavior without experimental manipulation.

still gay twins

Question 21

Explain the use of kinship studies or twin studies in the study of inheritance of behavior, making use of one study.

Answer 21

Bailey and Pillard (1990)
- Twin studies compare similarities between twins to assess genetic influence. They found that identical twins reared apart had still a 50% concordance rate in homosexuality, suggesting that genetics play a significant role in sexuality.

gay twins