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Possible SAQ:
Explain the use of one research method in one study of hormones OR pheromones.
Possible SAQ:
Explain the effect of one hormone on human behavior with reference to one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain one ethical consideration in one study of hormones or pheromones.
IB Psychology approaches to understanding behaviour
Adrenaline - FIGHT/FLIGHT RESPONSE
hormones acting as neurotransmitters?
Technology and localization of function
video 1
video 2
competition between one sex (usually males) for access to mates; usually the "strongest" gets to pass on his genes
video 3
Research: Fisher et al (2005)
Possible SAQ:
Explain the formation of neural networks with the use of one study
Ronay & von Hippel (2010): Skateboarder study
Possible SAQ:
Explain one evolutionary explanation of behavior with reference to one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain neural pruning with reference to one study.
Counter-argument
Possible SAQ:
Explain one technique used to study the brain in relation to behavior with reference to one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain one effect of one potential pheromone in human behavior with reference to one study.
Wedekind et al, 1995
Aim: prove correlation between attractiveness of men's scent to women and MHC dissimilarity
Procedure: 44 M and 49 W (typed by their MHC gene), they had to rate attractiveness of a T shirt of 6 individuals - 3 with the same and 3 with different MHC genes
Results: Women rated the odour od MHC dissimilar men as "more pleasant"
Possible SAQ:
Explain the effect of one neurotransmitter on human behavior, with reference to one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain neuroplasticity, with reference to one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain localization of function, with reference to one study.
Synaptic plasticity
term used to describe the changes in neural pathways and synapses due to changes in behaviour, environment, thinking, and emotions, as well as changes resulting from bodily injury
The nervous system - neurons (send electrochemical messages to the brain so that we can respond to stimuli)
Possible SAQ:
Explain one ethical consideration in one study of genes and behavior.
Epigenetics
Plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to alter its own structure following changes within the body or in the external environment
Draganski (2004)
dendritic branching & pruning
Rat study: Rosenzweig, Bennet & Diamond (1972)
Possible SAQ:
ExplExplain the use of one research method in one study of genes and behavior.
Another way that we can look at potential localization of function is by looking at neuroplasticity in areas of the brain associated with memory
Draganski et al. (2004) & Maguire (2000)
3D brain
Possible SAQ:
Explain the use of one research method in one study of the brain and behavior.
Possible SAQ:
Explain the role of one gene in one behavior with reference to one study.
1. Case studies
2. Animal experiments
3. Studies on neuroplasticity
4. The use of brain imaging
Human Genome Project
Possible SAQ:
Explain one ethical consideration in one study of the brain and behavior.
Not a brain scanning technique but a way to measure brain activity. The product is a series of brain wave patterns that need to be interpreted.
EEG is used to show brain activity under certain psychological states like alertness or sleeping.
A combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce axial (like "slices") images of the brain. It is used to assess head injuries and symptoms of aneurysm, stroke and brain tumours.
MRIs create images of the structure of the brain. The human body is mostly water. Water molecules contain hydrogen protons, which become aligned in a magnetic field. An MRI scanner applies a very strong magnetic field which aligns the proton "spins".
The scanner also produces a radio frequency current that creates a varying magnetic field. The protons absorb the energy from the magnetic field and flip their spins. When the field is turned off, the protons gradually return to their normal spin, a process called precession. The return process produces a radio signal that can be measured by reveivers in the scanner and made into an image.
The MRI is a composite image of several images of the brain.
Positron emission tomography scans show brain processes by using the sugar glucose in the brain to illustrate where neurons are firing.
To do this, a radioactive isotope is injected into the bloodstream. This is an invasive technique.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans are a series of MRIs measuring brain function via a computer's combination of multiple images taken less than a second apart.
The images show activity in the brain over time.
Ecological validity
The environment of an fMRI is unnatural and may influence the outcome of the research - leading to low ecological validity.
In order to make sure that the participant lies still in the fMRI, the tasks are very limited and mostly artificial in nature.
Sampling bias
Up to 20 % of subjects are affected by claustrophobia and refuse to take part in research in an MRI or fMRI. In addition, obese participants are excluded. This may, in some cases, lead to sampling bias.
In addition, because of the cost of the scanning, sample sizes tend to be limited, maing generalization of findings difficult.
Research bias
Colours exaggerate brain activity. The colours are often misleading, making it look like a specific region of the brain is clearly defined when in fact the activity of the brain is much more distributed and not as localized as we would like to believe.
In addition, a lot of activity in the brain is spontaneous and not stimusus driven. We often cannot be sure why there is activity in a part of the brain or what it is doing. Brain areas activate for many different reasons.
brilliant step by step explanation
Possible SAQ:
Explain the role of inhibitory or excitatory synapses in one behavior with reference to one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain the role of one antagonist with reference to one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain the role of one agonist with reference to one study.
AGONISTS:
ANTAGONISTS:
DRUGS that block the receptor site and do not allow the neurotransmitter to do its job, so no action potential is sent down the neuron (scopolamine is an antagonist for ACh).
Adrenaline appears to play a role in the creation of flashbulb memories.
Moderate levels of cortisol actually help in the cosolidation and retrieval of memories.
High levels of cortisol (or sustained levels of cortisol) impair memory retrieval and even lead to hipocampal impairment.
Members of one sex (usually females) choose the members of another sex based on a specific characteristics (ex. dance moves, jawline).
Research on facial symmetry: Shackelford & Larsen (1997)
Research on pathogen stress: Low (1990) & Gangestad and Schmitt (1993)
Research on dance moves: Neave et al (2010)
Study argued there were standard dance moves that women find attractive. Researchers argued that these moves convey the health, fitness, genetic quality, and developmental history of the male.
Watch the video for more details.
Clark & Hatfield (1989)
More recent research (e.g. Boxer, Noonan and Whelan, 2015; Buss et al, 2001): both genders place higher value on financial prospects, mutual attraction and love
The sex that is physiologically required to invest more in offsprings evolves to be more choosy, because mating with with a low-quality or noninvesting partner is more costly to that sex.
Buss, 1989
Aim: test for gender differences in mate selection
Procedure: 37 samples, over 10.000 participants across 6 continents and 33 countries; participants filled out questionnaires that contained three main sections
Results:
MEN: prefer younger women, paying attention to physical details - ablity to produce offsprings
WOMEN: prefer older men, paying attention to ambition, wealth, intelligence, social status, energy levels, and good health - abilty to provide for offsprings
Possible SAQ:
Explain the use of kinship studies OR twin studies in the study of inheritance of behavior, making use of one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain the use of kinship studies OR twin studies in the study of inheritance of behavior, making use of one study.
Possible SAQ:
Explain how genetic similarities help psychologists in the study of genes and behavior with reference to one study.
Three identical strangers
Hamer et al (1993)
Hamer examined the possibility of homosexuality being a sex-linked trait, linked to the x chromosome. This means that the trait would be passed off to the offspring by the mother. He examined the family trees of openly gay men and thought he saw a maternal link, leading him to investigate his theory of sexuality be a sex-linked trait. He took 40 DNA samples from homosexual men and genetically examined them. He found that there was a 'remarkable concordance' for 5 genetic markers on a section of the X-Chromosome called Xq28. The statistical probability of the 5 genetic markers on Xq28 to have matched randomly was calculated to be 1/100,000, lending even more support to his findings.