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Psychology Paper 3 > biopsychology > Flashcards

biopsychology Flashcards

1
Q

what is a split brain operation?

A

it involves severing the corpus callosum due to epilepsy

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1
Q

Sperry procedure

A

-studied 11 people who had split brains using a set up that projected an image onto their left or right visual field
-This info couldn’t be relayed across the hemispheres as there was no connection between the two of them

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2
Q

Sperry findings

A

Found that when a picture was shown to LVF, they could describe what they saw. When the same image was shown to RVF, they said they saw nothing

The left hand could draw what they saw and point to similar images, but they couldn’t describe it.

Shows that functions are lateralised

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3
Q

Sperry strength

A

-Support from Gazzinga- showed that split brain people performed better than normal brained people for lateralised tasks

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4
Q

Sperry limitations

A
  • causal relationships are hard to establish as all pps had epilepsy. Their abilities could be due to epilepsy damage, not just split brains

-the pps were subject to lots of tests over a long period of time- could be distressing (unethical)

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5
Q

hemispheric lateralisation definition

A

the idea that the two halves of the brain are functionally different and that certain mental processes and behaviours are mainly controlled by one hemisphere rather than the other

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6
Q

right hemisphere

A
  • processes info from left side of body
    -focuses on visuo spatial tasks
  • controls the left hand soe of body and receives info from left visual field
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7
Q

left hemisphere

A

-processes info from right side of body
- language centre of the brain
- controls right hand and receives info from right visual field

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8
Q

hemispheric lateralisation ao3

A

+ research showing that even in connected brains, the two hemispheres process differently- Fink used PET scans to identify where language and visual info is processed

-the idea of LH as analyser and RH as synthesiser may be wrong. One side of brain isn’t dominant- people aren’t right brained or left brained

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9
Q

plasticity definition

A

-describes the brain’s tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning. This generally involves the growth of new connections

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10
Q

Maguire taxi study

A

In 2000, she studied the brains of London taxi drivers and found that they have more grey matter in their hippocampus- the area that deals with spatial and navigational info. The longer they had done the job, the more pronounced this was

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11
Q

plasticity Ao3

A

+ life long ability- Bezzola showed the 40 hours of gold practice in 40-60 year olds shows increased brain activity

-may have negative behavioural consequences- the brains adaptation to prolonged drug use leads to poorer cognitive functioning later in life

  • phantom limb syndrome- sensation in the missing limb as if it was still there
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12
Q

functional recovery definition

A

a form of plasticity. Following damage through trauma, the brain’s ability to redistribute or transfer functions usually performed by a damage to an undamaged area

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13
Q

secondary neural pathway formation

A

axonal sprouting: the growth of new nerve endings to form the neural pathways

denervation supersensitivity: when axons that do similar jobs are aroused to compensate for lost ones

recruitment of homologous areas: when specific tasks are performed on the opposite side of the brain

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14
Q

functional recovery Ao3

A

+ real world application- understanding the process involved in plasticity has contributed to the field of neurorehabilitation

  • the level of education may influence recovery rates- Schneider revealed that the longer someone spends in education, the greater the likelihood they will have a disability free recovery from a brain injury
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15
Q

post mortem exams

A

the analysis of the brain after someone has died

those who have post mortems typically have a rare condition or unusual deficit in their mental processes

areas of the brain are examined to help establish a cause and are compared to a neurotypical brain

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16
Q

post mortem Ao3

A

+ it is vital for understanding the key brain processes and what different areas of the brain do

-ethical issues- informed consent is not always possible

-causation is an issue- damage observed may not be because of a deficit, but trauma or decay

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17
Q

FMRIs

A

detects the changes in blood oxygenation and flow that occur as a result of brain activity

when a brain area is more active, it consumes more oxygen and blood flow is directed to this area to meet demand

produces a 3d image that shows which areas of brain are involved in mental processes

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18
Q

FMRI Ao3

A

+does not rely on radiation and, if administered correctly, is risk free, non-invasive and straightforward

-low temporal resolution- a 5 second lag between image on screen and neural activity

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19
Q

EEGs

A

measures electrical activity within the brain via electrodes foxed to the scalp

records the brain wave patterns that are generated from the actions of neurons

used by clinicians as a diagnostic test- can indicate sleep disorders and epilepsy

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20
Q

EEGs Ao3

A

+ has been useful in studying the stages of sleep and epilepsy. It has high temporal resolution meaning that bursts of activity can be easily detected

-it gives generalised info- it cannot pinpoint the source of the activity or distinguish between them

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21
Q

ERPs

A

allows all extraneous activities from the EEG to be filtered out

a type of brainwave that is triggered for a particular event

22
Q

ERP Ao3

A

+brings more specificity to EEGs. HAs fast temporal resolution so can measure cognitive functions

-there is a lack of standardisation in ERP methodology between studies. In order to establish pure ERP data, all extraneous material must be eliminated which is hard to do

23
Q

circadian rhythm

A

a biological rhythm subject to a 24 hour cycle which regulates a number of body processes such as the sleep wake cycle

24
Q

Michel Siffre (1962) study

A

He spent 2 months in a cave in the Southern Alps with no natural light or sound. He resurfaced in mid september believing it to be mid august.

his natural circadian rhythm changed from 24 to 25 hours, but he maintained a regular sleep wake cycle

25
Q

circadian rhythms strengths

A

+has practical applications to shift work

+ has been applied to pharmacokinetics (when it is best to take medication)

+support from Siffre

26
Q

circadian rhythm limitations

A
  • issues with case study evidence- it cannot easily be generalised

-poor control in studies- he still had access to artificial light that could have regulated his circadian rhythm

27
Q

menstrual cycle

A

an example of an infradian rhythm.

The time between the first day of a woman’s period and the day before the next- takes around 28 to complete

rising levels of oestrogen causes ovulation to occur. After this, progesterone helps to lining to thicken

28
Q

Stern and McClintock study- menstrual cycle

A

used 29 women who had a history or irregular periods. They collected samples of their pheromones using a cotton wool ball under their armpit. They then rubbed them onto the upper lip of another woman. 68% of the women experienced changes to their cycle.

29
Q

Seasonal affective disorder

A

it is an infradian rhythm that is a type of depression classified by DSM V

It is triggered in the winter months when the days are shorter and there is less light

It is regulated by melatonin. Melatonin is produced when it is dark outside. In the winter when the mornings are darker, melatonin isn’t inhibited, meaning that there will eb less serotonin production (happiness hormone)

30
Q

Stages of sleep

A

ultradian rhythm- the cycle is around 90 minutes long

alpha waves- the person can be easily woken
delta waves- the person is deeply sleeping and hard to wake
REM sleep- the body is paralysed but the mind is awake (when dreams occur)

31
Q

infradian ultradian rhythms strengths

A

+support for Stern and McClintock- support for evolution. If everyone had the same rhythm it would be an evolutionary advantage

+research into SAD has practical application- developmentn of phototherapy and SAD lamps

32
Q

infradian ultradian rhythms limitations

A

-Stern and McClintocks study could have had confounding variables- could have been many exogenous factors e.g. diet or stress that could have altered cycles

-synchronised rhythms may have been an evolutionary disadvantage- if all females had the same cycle there would be competition for mating. No synchrony would be best to get best genes

33
Q

endogenous pacemaker definition

A

internal body clocks that regulate many of out bio rhythms

34
Q

DeCoursey SCN chipmunk study

A

He destroyed the SCN in chipmunks and put them into their natural habitat for 80 days. By the end, many had no circadian rhythm and most were dead.

35
Q

exogenous zeitgebers

A

external factors that affect or entrain our bio rhythms e.g. light

36
Q

Campbell and Murphy light study (exo)

A

15 pps were woken up at random times and had a light shown on the back of their knee. The pps had a change to their sleep wake cycle. Light can be more powerful than the brain

37
Q

what is the nervous system?

A

a specialised network of cells based on electrical and chemical signals.

made up of the CNS and the PNS

38
Q

localisation of brain function limitations

A

Lashley removed parts of a rat’s cortex when they learned their way around a maze- they could still do it. Shows that learning happens in the whole cortex not just one area

Dick and Tremblay found that 2% of researchers think that language is limited to Brocas and Wernicke area- language is distributed holistically across the brain

39
Q

Localisation of brain function strengths

A

neurosurgery evidence- Dougherty found that people who had OCD experienced less symptoms when they had their cingulate gyrus removed

Phineas gage- had no brain damage, just a small personality change- shows that functions are localised

40
Q

areas of the brain

A

motor area
somatosensory area
visual area
Wernickes area
Brocas area
auditory area

41
Q

lobes of the brain

A

temporal, parietal, occipital and frontal

42
Q

2 functions of the nervous system

A
  • to process and respond to info from the environment
  • to coordinate the working of organs and cells
43
Q

divisions of nervous system

A

Divided into CNS and PNS

CNS is made up of brain and spinal cord

PNS is made up of autonomic and somatic nervous system

ANS is subdivided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

44
Q

what is the endocrine system?

A

a system that acts alongside the nervous system, but acts more slowly using hormones

hormones affect more than one organ using glands

45
Q

endocrine system in relation to fight or flight response

A

when a stressor is perceived, you enter the sympathetic state and adrenaline is released which triggers the fight or flight response. This causes an increase in heart rate, inhibited digestion and dilated pupils

When the threat has passed, you return back to the parasympathetic state. The actions are reversed, and it is known as rest and digest.

46
Q

types of neuron

A

sensory, motor and relay.

47
Q

features of a neuron

A

axon, dendrites, myelin sheath, nodes of ranvier and a nucleus

48
Q

how is an electrical impulse created

A

when a neuron is resting, it is negatively charged. It becomes positively charged for a split second causing an action potential.

The action potential creates an electrical impulse that travels to the synapse.

49
Q

where are the different types of neuron found?

A

motor- most in CNS, but axons form part of PNS

sensory- only found in PNS

relay- only found in the brain

50
Q

what happens at a synapse?

A

when the electrical impulse reaches the pre synaptic terminal, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters from vesicles.

Once it travels across the synapse to the post synaptic terminal, the process begins again.

51
Q

excitatory effect

A

It will become positively charged and more likely to fire

52
Q

inhibitory effect

A

it will become negatively charged and less likely to fire

53
Q

summation

A

the excitatory and inhibitory influences are summed. If the net is inhibitory, it will be less likely to fire. If the net is excitatory, it will be more likely to fire.

The action potential is only triggered if the sum reaches the threshold.

Psychology Paper 3 (5 decks)

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