Biological area: Maguire

Question 1

What was Maguire’s aim?

Answer 1

To investigate differences in the brain of London taxi drivers also to investigate the function of the hippocampus in the spatial memory of the brain (can it change response to learning)

Question 2

What was Maguire’s experimental method?

Answer 2

Quasi experiment and a correlation

Question 3

What evidence is there that Maguire’s study was a quasi experiment?

Answer 3

Sample of taxi driver was naturally occurring this was not manipulated by the experimenter

Question 4

What experimental design was used?

Answer 4

Independent measures

Question 5

Who made up the experimental group in Maguire’s study?

Answer 5

16 male taxi drivers

Question 6

Describe 3 characteristics of the taxi drivers?

Answer 6

All right handed, all healthy and all male

Question 7

What was the age range of the taxi drivers?

Answer 7

32-62

Question 8

What was the name of the London taxi test which they had all passed?

Answer 8

‘The knowledge’

Question 9

How long had the taxi drivers been licensed for as a minimum?

Answer 9

18 months - 42 years

Question 10

Who made up the non experimental group in Magurie’s study?

Answer 10

The non-taxi drivers

Question 11

How many MRI scans were selected and then how many of those were matched to the taxi drivers?

Answer 11

50 were selected and 16 of those were matched

Question 12

Describe 3 characteristics of the non experimental group

Answer 12

All right handed, all healthy and all male

Question 13

What are 2 strengths of the sample used?

Answer 13

Controlled for extraneous variables and consistent sample

Question 14

What are 3 weaknesses of the sample?

Answer 14

Not very big, only men and not applicable to all ages

Question 15

What type of brain scan was used and why?

Answer 15

MRI scan because they were choosing to calculate the volume of grey matter in the hippocampus

Question 16

What was the 3D technique used to calculate the volume of grey matter in the hippocampus?

Answer 16

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM)

Question 17

What does VBM allow for?

Answer 17

Allows for a computer program to calculate the volume of area, in this case the grey matter in brain structural MRI scans

Question 18

Who carried out the pixel counting?

Answer 18

One person experienced in the technique and blinded to the participants’ identity as a taxi driver or control

Question 19

How many slices was the brain scan split into for the purpose for pixel counting?

Answer 19

26

Question 20

How were the slices divided between the posterior, main body and anterior?

Answer 20

Posterior - 6 slices
Main body - 12 slices
Anterior - 6 slices

Question 21

Why were 2 ways used to analyse the data?

Answer 21

To improve concurrent validity and VBM was a new test so they wanted to make sure it was accurate

Question 22

What were some of the controls used in Maguire’s study?

Answer 22

Age, Gender, Right handed, Healthy, Passing the knowledge

Question 23

What were the results found from VBM analysis?

Answer 23

Taxi drivers had increased grey matter on both sides of the posterior hippocampus but a decrease in grey matter in the anterior hippocampus in both sides

Question 24

What were the results found from the pixel counting in regards to overall volume of the hippocampus between taxi drivers and non taxi drivers?

Answer 24

There was no difference in overall volume in both sides

Question 25

What were the results found from the pixel counting in regards to the anterior hippocampus?

Answer 25

Non taxi drivers had higher volume in the right side

Question 26

What were the results found from the pixel counting in regards to the posterior hippocampus?

Answer 26

Taxi drivers had higher volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus

Question 27

In terms of the correlational analysis, where was a positive correlation found?

Answer 27

Between the length of time as a taxi driver and the volume of grey matter in the right posterior hippocampus

Question 28

In terms of the correlational analysis, where was a negative correlation found?

Answer 28

Between length of time as a taxi driver (in months) and the volume of grey matter in the right anterior hippocampus

Question 29

What did Maguire's study show in terms of regional differences in the brain?

Answer 29

That there were regional differences between the structure of the hippocampus in taxi drivers to the control group

Question 30

What idea did Maguire's study support?

Answer 30

The idea that the brain has changed in response to the demands of being a taxi driver because as time spent in the job increases so does the demand on spatial memory

Question 31

According to Maguire's study, does the brain have plasticity and what can it do?

Answer 31

Yes and it can change to meet the demands of the environment

Question 32

How do the findings support previous research using animals and patients with brain damage?

Answer 32

These findings are consistent with research on animals and also with patients who have suffered brain damage

Question 33

What are differences between the anterior and posterior hippocampus?

Answer 33

Posterior is involved with previously learned material whereas the anterior is linked to learning about new environmental layouts

Question 34

What are differences between left and right hippocampus functioning?

Answer 34

Suggests the right holds mental maps and the left holds memories and events not dependent on mental maps

Question 35

What does the correlational data not show about the hippocampus?

Answer 35

Doesn't show changes in the brain over time

Question 36

Were any ethical guidelines broken by Maguire?

Answer 36

N/a

Question 37

Were ethical guidelines upheld by Maguire?

Answer 37

It was carried out according to the British Psychological society's (1993) ethical guidelines so there were no concerns

Question 38

Was the procedure standardised and replicable? (internal reliability)

Answer 38

Highly controlled and collected quantitative data

Question 39

Was the sample large enough to suggest a consistent? (external reliability)

Answer 39

No, only 16 London taxi drivers analysed so it's hard to see consistency

Question 40

Was it an accurate test of plasticity of the brain? (internal validity)

Answer 40

Yes highly controlled for extraneous variables

Question 41

On what grounds on Maguire's research be accused of cultural bias?

Answer 41

Because only looked into taxi

Question 42

How/why might Maguire claim that their research is not ethnocentric?

Answer 42

Brain plasticity and the structure of the hippocampus is not likely to be specific to culture drivers in London