The Science of Cognition Flashcards
Name three or more of the scientific fields that is used in CogSci
Psychology, philosophy, linguistics, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, anthropology
The branch of psychology that only focuses on external behaviours? (hint noted)
Behaviourism
The famous behaviourist B.F. Skinner thought it possible to increase the occurrence of a specific behaviour through…
Scheduled reinforcement
What are the three main influences on the cognitive revolution?
Information theory, abstract way of analysing the processing of information.
Computer science and AI, computer analogy made to explain what is going on in the brain and the mind.
Linguistics, debate with the behaviourists because their theories couldn’t explain the complexities in the language.
What is the information-processing approach?
Tries to analyse human cognition as a set of steps for information processing. Also known as the component process approach. The more components you have, the longer it takes to process.
What is introspection?
The assumption that the workings of the mind is open to self-observation. People had to describe their own conscious experiences and thoughts and then the psychologists had to explain/analyse that content.
What is cognition?
Information processing
What is cognitive neuroscience and what does it focus on?
Study how cognition is realised in the brain. Focus on biological processes and relationships between brain structures, brain activity and cognitive functions.
What is a neuron and what is its key function?
A neuron is a cell that accumulates and transmits electrochemical signals in the nervous system.
Describe the anatomy of a neuron.
Key words: dendrites, nucleus, soma (cell body), synapse, axon, myelin sheath, axon hillock, node of Ranvier, axon terminal, neurotransmitter
What does the central nervous system include?
The brain and the spinal cord.
What are some examples of topographically organised areas of the brain and what does it mean?
Motor cortex, somatosensory cortex. For example, some adjacent areas in the visual cortex represent information from adjacent area of the visual field. Another example the area that receives sensory information from the fingers is close to the area that controls the muscles in the fingers.
What is the cerebral cortex?
The outer layer of the brain. The surface has folds which creates grooves called sulci and raised areas called gyri.
What is the neocortex?
The evolutionary most advanced part of the brain. Consisting of about 90% of the cerebral cortex. Is responsible for higher-order brain functions
Who is Wilhelm Wundt?
He is the father of modern psychology who established the 1st psychology lab in Leipzig in 1879. The method of inquiry he used was introspection.
Describe the behaviorist revolution
Prevalent in America from 1920s to 50s. Poses that psychology should be entirely concerned with external behavior and rejects consciousness as a useful concept.
Where is the frontal lobe located and what is it’s functions?
Frontal lobe – in the front, controls higher cognitive functions
Where is the parietal lobe located and what is it’s functions?
behind the frontal lobe, where-pathway and manipulation of objects
Where is the occipital lobe located and what is it’s functions?
in the back of the brain, vision (visual cortex)
Where is the temporal lobe located and what is it’s functions?
at the temples, what-pathway and hearing
Where is the Motor cortex located and what is its functions?
Right next to the central sulcus and it controls movement
Where is the cerebellum located and what is it’s functions?
bottom part of the brain, coordination of movement, fine motor skills and muscle memory
Where is Broca’s area located and what is its functions?
Located in the frontal cortex with the function of speech production
Where is the brainstem located and what is it’s functions?
connected to the spinal cord, low-level primitive surviving functions
Where is the primary sensory somatic cortex located and what is it’s functions?
right next to the central sulcus but on the opposite side from the motor cortex and its function is sensory inputs
Where is Wernicke’s area located and what is it’s functions?
Located on the border between the temporal and parietal lobe and its function is the understanding of words, syntax, structure of sentences etc.
What is the limbic system and what structures are a part of it?
The limbic system is a subcortical group, which is at the border between the cortex and the brain stem.
What does the hippocampus do?
The hippocampus appears to be critical to human memory; damage to the hippocampus and to other nearby structures produces severe amnesia.
It is also a part of the limbic system.
It is placed in the temporal lobe, on both sides of the hemisphere.
What does the amygdala do?
The amygdala is involved in emotional responses, it also belongs in the limbic system.
It is placed in the temporal lobe, on both sides of the hemisphere.
What is a gyrus?
A bulge of the cortex.
What does the basal gangalia do?
The basal ganglia are involved both in basic motor control and in the control of complex cognition.
These structures receive signals from almost all areas of the cortex and send signals to the frontal cortex.
It is also a subcortical system, but not a part of the limbic system.
EEG: What it stands for? What does it measure? (+ Temporal, Spatial resolution)
Electroencephalography
Measures: Electrical activity of the brain (neuronal voltage changes)
Temporal res.: Very high (milliseconds)
Spatial res.: Low (centimeters)
What does the medulla do and where is it placed?
The medulla controls breathing, swallowing, digestion, and heartbeat.
It is placed in the lowest part of the brain stem, connecting the spinal cord and higher brain.
MEG: What it stands for? What does it measure? (+ Temporal, Spatial resolution)
Magnetic Fields from Neuronal Currents, Measures: Cortical Activity
Temporal resolution: Very high (milliseconds)
Spatial resolution: Moderate to high (millimeters to centimeters)
PET: What it stands for? What does it measure? (+ Temporal, Spatial resolution)
Positron Emission Tomography
Measures: Metabolic Activity, Blood Flow and Glucose Metabolism
Temporal resolution: Low (seconds to minutes)
Spatial resolution: Moderate (millimeters)
What are excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters
The excitiatory neurotransmitters are more likely to fire an action potential to the next neuron.
the inhibitory neurotransmitters are less likely to fire an action potential to the next neuron.
fMRI: What it stands for? What does it measure? (+ Temporal, Spatial resolution)
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Measure: Blood oxygenation (BOLD signal)
Temporal resolution: Moderate (1–2 seconds)
Spatial resolution: High (1–3 millimeters)
TMS: What it stands for? What does it measure? (+ Temporal, Spatial resolution)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Measures: Neural excitability (stimulation/inhibition)
Temporal resolution: Very high (milliseconds)
Spatial resolution: Moderate (centimeters)
What is aphasia? What does it affect?
A language disorder from brain damage
Affects: speech, comprehension, reading, or writing.
What is the “corpus callosum”? What does it do?
A large bundle of nerve fibers.
Connects the two hemispheres of the brain, facilitating communication between them.
What are the nativist views?
Certain knowledge or abilities are innate or hardwired rather than learned through experience.
Replicability crisis
The issue in psychology where many studies’ findings cannot be reliably replicated.
What is the Sternberg paradigm?
An experimental paradigm used to study memory and information processing.
Sternberg memory scanning task:
1. Memorization: memorize list of items
2. Retention: retain the memory for a set period of time
3. Probe: a test item is shown
4. Response: decide about item whether it was in the list
