W2_lec1 Flashcards
Describe cognitive Neuroscience
The study fo how mental fxns + processes are related to the brain structure and fxn
T or F - the brain and mind are indep entities
F - they are heavily interconnected
How does the Dualism view interpret the brain and the mind? What is the consequence of this view?
a) It sees the brain and mind as separate entities that somewhat influence each other.
b) No acknowledgment of the relationship b/w the brain and the mind
How does the epiphenomenalism view interpret the brain and the mind? What is the consequence of this view?
a) Similar to behaviorisms. The mind is a byproduct of the changes in processes in the brain that are caused by external stim
b) Bypasses the significance of the mind
How does the Parallelism view interpret the brain and the mind? What is the consequence of this view?
a) The mind and brain are two sides of the same coin in which certain mental processes are related to the brain and vice versa
b) Doesn’t acknowledge how the brain fxns
How does the modularity view interpret the brain and the mind? What is the consequence of this view?
a) The idea that the brain was divided into sections and each section had its own fxn
b) While some parts are localized other fxns such as mem are not
Describe Phrenology. Who believed this? What view was this associated w/?
Franz Joseph Gall believed that the difference in abilities in indiv was due to unique patterns of cranial shape. (modularity view)
How does the Equipotentiality view interpret the brain and the mind? What is the consequence of this view?
a) the idea that the brain is one sys that is densely interconnected
b) doesn’t account for certain brain regions actually being related to certain specific fxns
Who held the equipotentiality view and why?
Karl Lashley did this due to a rat maze study in which continuously lesions a bit of the rat’s brain over a period of time and stated that he was unable to find the region of the brain that related to mem. Thus the brain must not be cut into sections.
How does the functional specialization view interpret the brain and the mind?
Simple fxns are related to a specific brain region (senses), however more complex fxns (mem + cog) are a result of different networking b/w different brain regions.
Currently, functional specialization is our most current view wrt the relationship b/w the mind and the body. What are the 3 pieces of evidence that prove this?
- a patient that suffered from severe epilepsy had his medial temporal lobe lesioned on both sides as a means of treating the seizures, which it did. However, this resulted in him getting amnesia. Thus, the medial temporal lobe must play a major role in mem.
- using fMRI the fusiform face area (FFA) shows huge activity when someone is looking at a face. Thus this part of the brain is heavily associated w/ this action
- using fMRI the parahippocampal place area (PPA) show high activity when someone is shown a location. This part of the brain is heavily associated w/ understanding a setting.
Describe ‘default’ mode network. Which viewpoint is it related to?
a) this is the act of the brain talking to itself while at rest
b) functional specialization viewpt
What are the 2 ethical/societal issues wrt the implication of cog neuroscience?
- using brain scans to detect lies
- the idea of free will in which if someone commits a crime is it their fault or is it the fault of their brain chem/genetics
