Biopsychology: Ways of Studying the Brain

Question 1

Name four ways of studying the brain

Answer 1

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
Event Related Potentials (ERP)
Post mortems

Question 2

What does EEG stand for?

Answer 2

Electroencephalograph

Question 3

What does fMRI stand for?

Answer 3

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Question 4

What does ERP stand for?

Answer 4

Event Related Potentials

Question 5

What does fMRI identify changes in?

Answer 5

Oxygen levels in the blood due to brain activity

Question 6

What is the 3D image from an fMRI called?

Answer 6

Activation Map

Question 7

What has fMRI been used to study?

Answer 7

Which specific parts of the brain are active in particular processes.

Question 8

in an fMRI what does increased blood flow show?

Answer 8

When a brain area is active

Question 9

fMRI is a much safer way of studying the brain than …

Answer 9

PET scans

Question 10

In terms of resolution, what can we say about fMRI?

Answer 10

High Spatial
Low temporal

Question 11

In EEG where are the electrodes placed?

Answer 11

On the scalp

Question 12

What does an EEG detect?

Answer 12

Small electrical changes from brain cell activity.

Question 13

What have EEGs been used to study?

Answer 13

Sleep Patterns
Arousal
Brain tumors
Epilepsy

Question 14

How are the electrical signals seen in an EEG?

Answer 14

Graphed over a period of time

Question 15

In terms of resolution, what can we say about EEG?

Answer 15

High Temporal
Low Spatial

Question 16

How is an ERP similar to an EEG?

Answer 16

Electrodes are placed on the scalp

Question 17

How is an ERP different to an EEG?

Answer 17

EEG shows general activity whereas ERP shows specific brain activity

Question 18

In an ERP how is a stimulus presented?

Answer 18

Many times

Question 19

In an ERP what is filtered out?

Answer 19

All extraneous brain activity

Question 20

In terms of resolution, what can we say about ERP?

Answer 20

High Temporal
Low Spatial

Question 21

Why is it hard to get meaningful data from a ERP?

Answer 21

It can take many trials as they are affected by external factors e.g. noise

Question 22

When is a Post-mortem conducted?

Answer 22

After death

Question 23

What do they do in a post-mortem?

Answer 23

Examine and dissect the brain to identify and physical/structural abnormalities.

Question 24

What do they compare in a post-mortem?

Answer 24

A brain with a disorder/mental process with one that doesn’t show this.

Question 25

Identify one area of the brain located by post-mortem.

Answer 25

Broca’s area

Question 26

Why might a postmortem lack internal validity?

Answer 26

They are affected by extraneous variables such as age, medication or time of death.

Question 27

When is the use of post-mortem most valuable?

Answer 27

When trying to study the deeper areas of the brain such as the hypothalamus