unit 2: biological level of analysis session 3

Unit 2:Biological Level of

AnalysisSession 3

‘All that is psychological is first physiological’

Unit 2: Biological LOA

Assessment Outline

Drafts will be returned with feedback by Friday

Final report due Monday 4th March

First things first...


In pairs, write as much as you can remember from last session

You have 3 minutes...

A quick recap...


How did you do?


Read page 43 of your text book on localisation of brain function

In front of your books make notes on Broca and Wernicke’s studies on localisation of brain function

Task


Broca (1861) found people suffering damage to Broca’s area in brain had problems producing speech but were able to understand it

Broca’s Aphasia


Case studies like this support the theory that the brain has specific areas that serve specific

functions!


Explain one study of localisation of function of the brain

Our learning outcome


Important because it provided evidence that there are different memory systems in the brain

Had experimental surgery that removed hippocampus

After the operation H.M. suffered from amnesia

The case study of H.M.


He could recall information acquired in early life, but was unable to form new memories

Retrograde amnesia- failure to store memories that happened AFTER a trauma

Only his memory was affected by the removal of the hippocampus i.e. No personality change, IQ

The case study of H.M.


Clive Wearing

In his mid-forties suffered from a brain infection which damaged parts of his brainLeft with a memory span of only a few secondsMost devastating case of amnesia ever recordedSuffers from anterograde and retrograde amnesia


Hippocampus plays a critical role in converting memories from short-term to long-term memory

Fact that H.M. had deficits in one part of the memory but not in others is evidence that the brain has several memory systems supported by distinct brain regions

H.M. could learn new procedural memories which indicates that these memories are not stored via the hippocampus

Shows memory processes are much more complex than originally believed

Although hippocampus is very important in the storage of new memories it is not the only part of the brain involved in the process

What can be learned about localisation of brain from H.M.


Strengths Surgery was based on assumption that

H.M.’s seizures would stop and it was successful in this respect

H.M. participated in research for more than 50 years and participated in many kinds of tests including cognitive tasks, observations and neuroimaging studies

Evaluation of case of H.M.


Strengths This longitudinal case study has

contributed enormously to knowledge of how memory processes are related to specific areas of the brain:

The hippocampus is important for the forming, organising and retrieval of memories

Procedural memories are not processed by the hippocampus



Limitations: Ethical Considerations Although the surgery stopped the seizures it

caused memory problems that had not been anticipated.

Since H.M. was unable to remember all the times he participated in research, it could be argued that it was unethical. However, the findings of the study are very important which justifies it. (remember the ends must justify the means)



Limitations As this was a case study it is questionable

whether the results can be generalised to a larger population

HOWEVER... Findings from other case studies of people

with brain damage like H.M. tend to support these findings so it may be possible to generalise the findings to some extent.



In all essays you must display evidence of critical thinking

One way to approach this is to always think...

MAGEC

Evaluating Studies/Theories


Methodological considerations

Alternative explanations

Gender considerations

Ethical considerations

Cultural considerations


It is important not just to identify the consideration, but to clearly link it to either the study or the bigger question.

You need to explain WHY not just state strengths and limitations

E.G. The study was unethical BECAUSE....

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGEC?


Read Research in Psychology article on Phineas Gage on page 42

Answer the questions in the front of your book

Task


STRENGTHS

Very prominent in psychology BECAUSE it suggests that damage to the frontal lobe affects personality.

Phineas Gage’s case is rare and unique AS it gave us early insights into what functions of the brain are affected when the frontal cortex is damaged.

Evaluation of Phineas Gage Study


STRENGTHS Case studies are useful AS they are often the

only method appropriate for studying particular forms of behaviour i.e. brain damage

DUE to the period of the study there are limited records of Phineas’ previous and later behaviour, following the accident. HOWEVER, sufficient evidence and records were made to give an understanding into Phineas’ erratic change in behaviour.



LIMITATIONS

There is also no possibility to generalise the behaviour to a population AS it is a singular person’s behaviour being investigated.

Case studies are also impossible to replicated, and have low reliability DUE to the effects of recall of past events, and the participants reactivity.



Worth 25% One entry per session Journal entries will be posted on website

Monday’s Entry: Outline the three principles of the biological

process noting a demonstration of each

Psychology Journal


Be a communicator

Case studies of brain damaged patients had led to important findings about the brain

Write a newspaper article to inform the general public about the case study of Phineas Gage and what can be learned from it

Task outline on pg.42 of text book

Today’s journal entry

unit 2: biological level of analysis session 3

Documents

biological loataskbroca

biological loahow

biological loaclive

biological loawhat

amnesia unit

biological loacase studies

brain infection

biological loafirst