L13- cognitive psychology and understand brain-behaviour relationships

Question 1

levels of explanation

Answer 1

necessary to explain a particular behaviour

from cell to network to brain to body to environment to time

Question 2

Marr’s levels of explanation

Answer 2

complex systems should be understood at different levels

useful for describing models of cognition

‘purpose’ aspect relates to environment and time of other levels of explanation

Question 3

what are marr’s 3 levels of explanation

Answer 3

1- computational level
2- algorithmic level
3- implementational level

Question 4

Marr’s LoE

1 - computational level

Answer 4

refers to the aim/purpose of the behaviour
WHAT problem are we faced with?
generic manner

Question 5

Marr’s LoE

2 - algorithmic level

Answer 5

refers to the processes involved

HOW the identified problems can be solved

Question 6

Marr’s LoE

3 - Implementational level

Answer 6

how the system is physically realised
the mechanism with which the computation is performed
eg. neurons and synapses

Question 7

what are current decisions based on

Answer 7

previous experience and environment

Question 8

role of cognitive neuroscience

Answer 8

bridge gap between behaviour and neural networks

biological processes that underlie cognition

Question 9

available tools for studying cognitive neuroscience

Answer 9

behavioural paradigm 
psychophysiology 
MRI
EEG
TMS

Question 10

why is it hard to link the levels of explanation

Answer 10

each test gives different dependent variables

Question 11

what is neuropsychology

Answer 11

study of cognitive/behavioural effects of injury to the brain

Question 12

examples of injury to the brain

Answer 12

stroke
neurodegenerative disease
contusion (rupture of capillaries)

Question 13

broca’s aphasia

Answer 13

lesions cause inability to express and formulate sentences

Question 14

wernickes aphasia

Answer 14

ability to express words well but at random

Question 15

attentional neglect

Answer 15

ability to see but ignore part of visual fielld

Question 16

cortical blindness

Answer 16

report ‘blindness’ but able to navigate complex environments perfectly

Question 17

what effect do frontal lobe disorders have

Answer 17

cause difficulty organising and planning

Question 18

neuropsychological test batteries

Answer 18

standardised behavioural measurements used to assess effect of brain injury on cognitive function

used to assess ability of alzherimers patietns to go back to work etc

Question 19

cognitive psychology tests

Answer 19

tasks measure mental ablility

Question 20

cognitive psychology topics

Answer 20

working memory 
attention 
language
visual perception
associative learning
categorisation
executive function

Question 21

limitations of cognitive psychology

Answer 21

vague terminology
e.g/ attention
individual variability so repetition of trials is important

Question 22

associative memory

Answer 22

ability to learn and remember the relationship between unrelated items
e..g fear conditioning - pair stimulus with a shock
associating someone’s name with a particular perfume

Question 23

how do you measure fear conditioning

Answer 23

measure eye blink with stimulus e.g. red circle with shock
after training phase present stimulus (red circle) and measure eye blink without shock
red circle causes response

Question 24

examples of neuropsychological test batteries

Answer 24

trail making test
WAIS- intelligence scale
tower of london/hanoi test

Question 25

why is it difficult to isolate specific underlying aspects of behaviour

Answer 25

many cognitive functions going on at the same time

Question 26

what does Rescorla suggest about when learning is biggest

Answer 26

when there is a higher prediction error | when the outcome is more unexpected

Question 27

define working memory

Answer 27

the ability to actively hold and retrieve information for processing or manipulation

Question 28

working memory model

Answer 28

Baddeley and Hitch 1974

Question 29

how can you test working memory

Answer 29

subjects listen to series of letters/numbers | subjects repeat letters/nubers back in a different order

Question 30

use of EEG and fMRI in cognitive neuroscience

Answer 30

images provided reflect differences in conditions of subjects use subtraction logic

Question 31

what signal does fMRI give

Answer 31

BOLD signal

Question 32

associative learning

Answer 32

subject learns relationship between two unrelated stimuli

Question 33

impact of prediction error on learning

Answer 33

increase prediction error, increase learning

Question 34

region of CNS involved with predictive stimulus

Answer 34

amygdala

Question 35

examples of executive function

Answer 35

response inhibiton working memory task switching

Question 36

go no-go test

Answer 36

measure the number of errors made | measures impulsivity

Question 37

impact of pre-frontal cortex on ability to complete go no-go test

Answer 37

test ability decreases if pre-frontal cortex stimulated

Question 38

stop signal test

Answer 38

better impulsivity predictor than go no-go test | measures time taken for brain to cancel an initiated response

Question 39

computational modelling for cognitive neuroscience

Answer 39

use associative learning model program computer compare human and computer behavioural data use computer model to analyse fMRI model