Rosenzweig, Bennett and Diamond Study - HL (bio)

Question 1

Rosenzweig, Bennett and Diamond Study - HL (bio)

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate whether environment (whether enriched or deprived) could have an influence on the development of the neurons in the cerebral context

Question 2

Rosenzweig, Bennett and Diamond Study - HL (bio)

Procedure

Answer 2

• Rats from the same litter were separated into three groups based on their environment
  
  • Control group (standard lab setting)
  • Enriched environment (with toys and other rats)
  • Deprived environment (alone with not toys)
• Food and water were provided to all rats
• After predetermined periods of time (4 to 10 weeks), rats were killed humanely in order to study their brains

Question 3

Rosenzweig, Bennett and Diamond Study - HL (bio)

Findings

Answer 3

• Rats in the enriched environment had a heavier and thicker cerebral cortex (did not increase the number of nerve cells , just their size and connections)
  
  • No significant differences in any other part of the brain
• Rats needed both social and enriched environment in order for development to occur

Question 4

Rosenzweig, Bennett and Diamond Study - HL (bio)

Limitations

Answer 4

• Internal validity: Unclear what in the environment caused the dendritic branching, was it both social and toys?
  
  • Why were both elements (enriched environment and social activity) necessary?
  • Single rat with toys was missing from the study
• External validity: Brains of rats are not the same as human brains
  
  • Researchers cannot perform a similar experiment on humans

Question 5

Rosenzweig, Bennett and Diamond Study - HL (bio)

Ethical Considerations

Answer 5

• Use of animals (sacrifice of animal life)
  
  • Is the information obtained valuable enough to use animal research?
• All rats were given food and water
• Rats were euthanized quickly

Question 6

Rosenzweig, Bennett and Diamond Study - HL (bio)

Research Method

Answer 6

Lab experiment