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level: Maguire (B)

Questions and Answers List

level questions: Maguire (B)

QuestionAnswer
Background- Eriksson shown that human HIPPO has the ability to generate new cells throughout life (neurogenesis) - Found rats in an ‘enriching’ environment leads to the enlarging of hippo
Hippocampus meaning- HIPPO is linked to moving info from our short-term memory to our long-term memory - Controls spatial awareness + navigation - Can act as a cognitive map, neural representation of the environment
Voxel based morphometry meaning- Neuroimaging analysis of brain anatomy - Measures density of grey matter
Pixel counting meaning- 2D measurement which counts pixels of the P+A, body of the HIPPO - Measures grey matter volume
Blind Researcher meaning- The pixel counter was blind to the VBM results whether the scans were of a taxi or non-taxi drive - Avoids any bias that could occur from the readings of the brain scans and pixel
‘The Knowledge’ meaning– London taxi drivers are required to know the 25,000 streets within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross - And general knowledge of major routes
MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging)– Standard brain scan
VBM (Voxel-based morphometry)– A scan showing the density of the brain - Measures volume of grey matter
Anterior hippocampus meaning- Front
Posterior hippocampus meaning- Back
1 EXPERIMENT1 EXPERIMENT
Aim- To investigate differences in the volume of the HIPPO in London taxi drivers + non-taxi drivers - To see the neuroplasticity after extensive navigational experience
Research method- Quasi Lab Experiment
Design (BOTH INVESTIGATIONS)- Independent Measures - Matched participants
Data collection (BOTH INVESTIGATIONS)- Only Quantitative data of the brain scans and pixel counting and years of working
IV and DVIV – London taxi driver or non-taxi driver DV– Vol of HIPPO measured by VBM and pixel counting
What were the two samples?- Group 1 - Control group
Group 1-16 taxi drivers, right-handed, male London taxi drivers, mean time as a licensed London taxi driver 14.3 years - Healthy, all passed ‘The Knowledge’
Control sample- 16 right handed male non-taxi drivers, age matched, healthy - Selected from the MRI scan database of 50 males which provided a comparison database of average hippocampi volume
Procedure- Each individual had an MRI scan - HIPPO were separated into different areas: R+L hemisphere, P + A - Vol. of grey matter in A + P measured + compared - MRI scans were analysed by VBM + Pixel counting which also gives a measure of volume (cross-sectional slices)
Control group– Matched on age, gender, health, right handed - Expert conducting the analysis did not know whether the MRI scan was of a taxi driver or not, this avoids bias
2 CORRELATION2 CORRELATION
Aim- To see if there is a significant correlation between the number of years spent being a taxi driver and the volume of the hippocamp - To see if the brain can be altered by the environment
Research method- Correlation
What were the two variables- Variable 1= Length of time as a taxi driver - Variable 2 = Volume of the right posterior hippocampus
Procedure- Time in months as a taxi driver was correlated with the vol of the right posterior HIPPO taken from MRI scans of the taxi driver group
Controls- Groups matched on age, gender, health, right handed - Blind analysis meant that the expert conducting the analysis did not know whether the MRI scan was of a taxi driver or not
Results (EXPERIMENT)- Taxi drivers compared to non-taxi drivers - Taxi drivers had greater vol in the posterior HIPPO - Non-taxi drivers had greater vol in the anterior HIPPO - The overall size of the hippocampus body was similar
Results (CORRELATION)- As length of time as a taxi driver increased, the vol of the right posterior hippocampus increased, + correlation - As length of time as a taxi driver increased, the vol of the right anterior hippocampus decreased, - correlation
Conclusions- Sig. fig. in the hippo of taxi drivers compared to non-taxi drivers - Suggests that the environment can change structure of the brain - + correlation found between time spent as a taxi driver + vol of right posterior hippo - This disregards the explanation that people may choose to become a taxi driver because of a pre-existing brain difference
Sampling Bias- 16 taxi drivers was quite large given they had to have an MRI scan - All right handed males, cannot be generalized to females or left handers - Age spread + time in the job contributed to a varied sample
cEcological validity- Low EV, lab, very controlled, however the realism in this task didin't matter - Interests/occupations not considered, so there could be individuals with other reasons to have high navigational skills - However this isn’t likely to be an issue because the correlation demonstrated increased hippocampal volume with experience
Internal Validity- High as it is impossible to alter the activity in their brains intentionally - No risk of demand characteristics as they weren’t doing a task
Reliability- Same individual assessed all of the brain scans - Blind analysis, the conductor carrying out the analysis...
Usefulness- Important for rehabilitating people with brain damage - Although it only shows that the hipp can alter in adulthood, it could suggest that other areas of the brain could too - Can lead to advances in diagnosis + treatment
Data- Quantitative data is very good for statistical analysis and is measurements are highly objective
Research Method- Lab, lots of scientific equipment + procedure - Controlled + degree of control can be maintained in lab enviro.
Ethical considerations- Fully aware of procedure + aims, gave consent - MRI scans aren’t dangerous, other than some ppts may not like being in a small enclosed space for the scan
Ethnocentrism- Not ethnocentric, investigating a species-specific behaviour - But only representative of London taxi drivers so not everyone's hippo has a similar capacity for brain plasticity
Nature– nurture debate- Shows how environmental demands placed upon the spatial memory of taxi drivers led to brain plasticity in their hippo - As their experience increased so their hippo changed to accommodate the demands placed on their spatial memory
Psychology as a science- Highly controlled - fulfils scientific criteria of theory, control, evidence and replication - Objective method of measurement (MRI) - highly scientific
Link to the biological area– Bio area explains behaviour through biological + neurological processes - M hypothesised that experiences can cause changes in the brain - He found that people who use navigation skills constantly in their work (taxi drivers) show differences in parts of their brains
Similarities between Maguire and Blakemore and Coopers- Highly controlled lab - Objective evidence, M with MRI scanner, B + C with neuropsychological measures - Quantitative data - Independent measures design
Differences between Maguire and Blakemore and Coopers- M studied the human brain, B + C studied brains of cats - M, snapshot study, B + C longitudinal study - B + C studied visual neurons, M investigated hippocampus
How does the study of Maguire improve our understanding of brain plasticity?- B+C only knew about how visual experiences in a kittens’ early life can modify their brains - Showed that the environ can determine perception at both a behavioural and psychological level, this shows plasticity - M tells us how the human brain works, tells us about how the grey matter in hippo can change depending if u r a taxi driver or not - Showed how the brain adapts for memory and spatial awareness - Both B + C + M tell us that brain plasticity occurs because of your surrounding environment
How does the contemporary study improve our understanding of individual, social and cultural diversity? INDIVIDUAL DIVERSITY- Ms study showed that brain plasticity does not only apply to animals but to humans as well - M showed that constant use of navigational skills led the brain to accommodate the demands placed on their spatial memory
How does the contemporary study improve our understanding of individual, social and cultural diversity? SOCIAL DIVERSITY- Ms study doesn’t tell us more about social diversity - But does show great improvements in the ability to measure human brain activity, allows for future research to now explore this
How does the contemporary study improve our understanding of individual, social and cultural diversity? CULTURAL DIVERSITY- Ms study doesn’t tell us anything about cultural differences - Only taxi drivers from one place were used - However, the hippo is present throughout all cultures so it is reasonable to assume similar results could be found