Cognitive Neuroscience

Question 1

Define cognitive neuroscience

Answer 1

• studying how brain structures and biology impact mental processes.
• use brain scanning techniques to associate brain areas with a particular task, stimulus, moods, and emotions.

Question 2

Example

Answer 2

Broca’s area (frontal lobe) linked with speech production. Studied, and concluded that this area was activated when speech was the task presented.
Parahippocampal Gyrus is associated with OCD.
Shows thought processes have a biological basis.

Question 3

Strengths

Answer 3

Uses controlled measures to draw conclusions about cognitive processes- can be standardised and replicated.

Question 4

Weaknesses

Answer 4

Machine reductionism- presents a predictable, mechanical nature of human behaviour, neglects role of emotions. Humans are more complex than this.

Many concepts are unfalsifiable, internal mental processes cannot be measured.