24 Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is the general function of the PFC?
Generating the appropriate action
What are the three general processes the instructor highlighted as PFC processes?
Goal-setting, problem solving/planning, decision making
What are the similarities and differences between goals and problems, and problem-solving and planning?
Goals vs. Problems:
Goals: Desired outcomes or objectives to be achieved
Problems: Challenges or obstacles that need to be addressed to achieve a goal
Problem-solving vs. Planning:
Problem-solving: The process of finding solutions to overcome obstacles or challenges
Planning: The process of organizing and preparing steps to achieve a goal before addressing problems
Recognize the functions that are mediated by the DLPFC which ones are strategy-related, which ones are memory related, which ones are inhibition related? What part of empathy is within the purview of the DLPFC?
DLPFC Functions:
Strategy-related: Planning, decision-making, and organizing strategies to achieve goals
Memory-related: working memory, particularly in maintaining and manipulating information.
Inhibition-related: Inhibiting inappropriate behaviors and thoughts.
Empathy: DLPFC is involved in cognitive empathy, such as perspective taking and considering the mental states of others.
What main type of functions for the Anterior cingulate PFC?
Response monitoring
error detection
resolution between competing responses
inhibitory control of prepotent responses
selective & divided attention
motivated behavior
What do all the functions of the OFPFC have in common? Be able to recognize them when you see them.
OFPFC: Involved in emotion regulation, social behavior, and reward processing. Common Functions Include:
Reward processing and decision making based on outcomes
Social behavior regulation: recognizing and adjusting to social norms
Emotional regulation: controlling emotional responses to stimuli
What are the overwhelming findings w.r.t the effects of multitasking on performance? What are the surprising findings about frequency of media multitasking and performance? What is the relationship between confidence in multitasking abilities and performance?
Multitasking and performance: The overwhelming finding is that multitasking tends to decrease performance, especially in tasks requiring attention, memory, and complex problem-solving.
Media multitasking and performance: Frequent media multitaskers often perform poorly on cognitive tasks that require sustained attention, despite believing they are better at multitasking.
Confidence in multitasking: There is a disconnect between people’s confidence in their multitasking abilities and their actual performance. People who believe they are good at multitasking often perform worse than they expect.
Explain the difference between divergent and convergent problems
Convergent problems: only one solution possible
Divergent problems: multiple possibilities, open-ended
How do the word fluency and design fluency tasks work? What is perseveration on these tasks? What is poor spontaneity?
Word Fluency:
Requires generating as many words as possible within a category within a time limit
Design Fluency:
Requires drawing different shapes or designs based on specific guidelines within a time limit
Perseveration:
Repeating the same response multiple times despite being asked for different responses, often a sign of frontal lobe dysfunction
Poor spontaneity:
Difficulty generating new ideas or responses without external prompting, often due to problems with cognitive flexibility
How do planning tasks test divergent thinking?
Planning tasks test divergent thinking by encouraging individuals to generate a wide range of ideas and consider multiple possibilities when addressing a problem or goal.
What do the Stroop task and the WCST test? Know how these tests work!
Stroop Task:
Tests inhibition control by asking participants to name the color of ink in which a word is written, while ignoring the meaning of the word itself (e.g., the word “RED” written in blue ink).
WCST Test:
Tests cognitive flexibility and the ability to shift strategies by requiring participants to match cards based on changing rules (e.g., color, shape, or number) without explicit guidance.
What types of problems do frontal lobe patients have on the WCST?
They are unable to come up with a different way to sort the cards after they are told their first way is wrong, they will perseverate
What types of problems do frontal lobe patients have on the Stroop?
They cannot inhibit themselves from reading the words instead of naming the color.
How are Stroop, WCST environmental control of behavior?
Both tests assess how the frontal lobes manage behavioral control in response to environmental cues:
Stroop: measures inhibition of automatic, habitual responses
WCST: assesses the ability to adapt to environmental changes (e.g., new rules)
Explain what poor temporal memory is.
Difficulty remembering the sequence or timing of events.
