Chapter 3

Question 1

Multi-cell recordings (or multi-unit recordings)

Answer 1

The electrical activity (in terms of action potentials per second) of neurons recorded at one or more electrodes

Question 2

Grandmother cell

Answer 2

A hypothetical neuron that just responds to one particular stimulus (e.g. the sight of one’s grandmother)

Question 3

Rate coding

Answer 3

The informational content of a neuron may be related to the number of action potentials per second

Question 4

Temporal coding

Answer 4

How the brain uses the timing and pattern of neural activity, particularly the timing of action potentials (spikes), to encode information about stimuli and events.

Question 5

Mental chronometry

Answer 5

The study of the time course of information processing in the human nervous system

Question 6

Dipole

Answer 6

A pair of positive and negative electrical charges separated by a small distance

Question 7

Additive factors method

Answer 7

A general method for dividing reaction times into different stages

Question 8

N170

Answer 8

An ERP component (negative potential at 170 ms) linked to perceiving facial structure

Question 9

Representations

Answer 9

Properties of the world that are manifested in cognitive systems (mental) and neural systems.

Question 10

Single-cell recordings (or single-unit recordings)

Answer 10

Measure the responsiveness of a neuron to a given stimulus (in terms of action potentials per second).

Question 10

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Answer 10

Measurements of electrical signals generated by the brain through electrodes placed on different points on the scalp.

Question 10

Event-related potential (ERP)

Answer 10

The average amount of change in voltage at the scalp that is linked to the timing of particular cognitive events (e.g., stimulus, response).

Question 11

Reaction time

Answer 11

The time taken between the onset of a stimulus/ event and the production of a behavioral response (e.g., a button press). Also referred to as response time.