Methods

Question 1

What is the definition of cognition? Who coined this definition?

Answer 1

The collection of mental processes and
activities used in perceiving, remembering,
thinking, and understanding, as well as the act
of managing those processes (mental control).
ASHCROFT

Question 2

What is the order of the scientific method?

Answer 2

Theory->Prediction->Experiment->Observation.
(The Pope Eats Oats)

Question 3

What is the independent variable in experimental design?

Answer 3

The variable under the experimenter’s control.
E.g. Experimental group vs Control group

Question 4

What is the dependent variable in experimental design?

Answer 4

The data measured through a task.
E.g. Brain activity on a memory task.

Question 5

What are the three types of experiments and how are they classed?

Answer 5

From Control to Realism.
Starting with Lab experiments, field experiments and finally natural experiments.

Question 6

How ethical is each type of experiment?

Answer 6

Gets less ethical the more realism is involved (Natural experiments) as participants probably don’t know they are taking part in an experiment.

Question 7

What is the environment for each type of experiment?

Answer 7

Lab; Artificial

Field; Natural but not necessarily the participants own one.

Natural; Their own naturally occurring one.

Question 8

What is the control of IV’s in each type of experiment?

Answer 8

Lab; set by experimenter

Field; set by experimenter

Natural; naturally occurring (experimenter has no control)

Question 9

What are the pros of Experimental Cognitive Psychology?

Answer 9

Control
Cause-effect relationships
Inferential Stats
Enables complex measures of behaviour & brain activity.

Question 10

What are the cons of Experimental Cognitive Psychology?

Answer 10

Indirect
Artificiality
Narrow range of tasks
May lack ecological validity
Tends to ignore individual differences

Question 11

What is cognitive neuropsychology?

Answer 11

Relationship between brain function and
behaviour.
E.g.
Examination of changes in normal function
after brain injury.

Question 12

What do Lesion studies use to experiment on?

Answer 12

Natural damages causing brain disruptions (strokes)

Elicited damage
(animal models)

Infer a brain region by removing it and analyze the rest of the system.

Question 13

Give two examples of traditional human neuropsychology experiments.

Answer 13

1) What functions are disrupted by damage to region X?
- Questions functional specialization.
- Tends to use group studies.

2) Can a particular function be impaired relative to other cognitive functions?
- Questions what the building blocks of cognition are.
- Tends to use single case methods.

Question 14

What is reverse inference in neuropsychology?

Answer 14

Reverse inference is when you observe a disrupted cognitive function (e.g., loss of memory or face recognition) and then infer what the damaged brain area normally does.

🔄 It works backwards:
From effect (behavior) → to cause (brain function).

Question 15

What is hemispatial neglect?

Answer 15

Hemispatial neglect is a neurological condition in which a person ignores one side of space, usually the left, despite having normal vision.
(usually right side of brain damaged)

Question 16

How do lesions fit into the scientific process?

Answer 16

1) Group studies; Scientists investigate an overlap between different lesions in different people.

2) Single patient studies; Scientists observe the dissociation (When some functions are impaired and others are not).

3) Reverse Inference.

Question 17

Can one induce lesions in humans based on clear hypotheses?

Answer 17

NO; unethical to cause damage.

Question 18

What is a method to measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow?

Answer 18

Functional Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (fMRI)

Question 19

How do oxyhaemoglobin and de-oxyhaemoglobin affect MR (Magnetic Resonance) signal differently?

Answer 19

Oxyhaemoglobin: Non-magnetic → Increases MR signal

De-oxyhaemoglobin: Paramagnetic → Decreases MR signal

MR signal strength reflects blood oxygenation levels

Question 20

BOLD signal

Answer 20

Blood Oxygenated-Level Dependent

Question 21

Does FMRI have good temporal and spatial resolution?

Answer 21

Poor temporal resolution (Can’t pinpoint exactly when brain activity occurs as it is slow)

Excellent spatial resolution
(You can see exactly where the brain is active)

Question 22

What is TMS?

Answer 22

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
Coil with electric current generates a magnetic field.
This induces nearby neurons (electromagnetic induction)
The stimulation or suppression changes the cognitive function of the targeted neurons.

Question 23

What is the temporal and spatial resolution of TMS?

Answer 23

Relatively high spatial and temporal specificity.
Help ascertain Causality of effects.

Question 24

What is EEG/MEG?

Answer 24

Direct measurement of neural activity with high temporal and low (EEG) or good spatial resolution (MEG)

Question 25

Who is responsible for the deflection of compass needle by electric current?

Answer 25

H.C. Oersted

Question 26

What does ERP stand for?

Answer 26

Event Related Potentials

Question 27

What is ERP?

Answer 27

Derived from EEG/MEG. EEG signals are averaged over multiple events.

Question 28

Who was responsible for Neural Oscillations (brain waves)?

Answer 28

Hans Berger.

Question 29

What is occipital alpha (α) brain activity and what does it signify?

Answer 29

Location: Occipital lobe (back of the brain, associated with vision). Frequency: Around 8–12 Hz. Significance: Occurs during a relaxed state with eyes closed, and decreases when visual attention is needed

Question 30

What is sensorimotor mu (μ) brain activity and what does it signify?

Answer 30

Location: Sensorimotor cortex (frontal and parietal lobes, related to movement and sensation). Frequency: Around 8–13 Hz. Significance: Prominent during a resting state, suppresses during motor activity (movement)