PSY 252 FINAL EXAM (224) QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Scientific approach - ANSWER Intuition and common sense
Placebo - ANSWER formerly considered an obstruction to data, now is understood
that the anchor motivates your brain to act a certain way.
Hindsight Bias - ANSWER "I knew it all along"
Bias Circle - ANSWER Epistemology, interpretation of theory, operationalization,
design-task-structure, sample, study executive & conduct, data collection, data
recording, analysis, interpretation, report
Cognitive neuroscience - ANSWER Study of neural mechanisms underlying
cognition
EEG (electroencephalogram) - ANSWER Use surface electrodes to record the
activity of underlying brain tissue
ERP (event-related potential) - ANSWER Averaging across related stimuli, allows
event-related activity to be identified. Similar to EEG but related to an event
(decision-making, etc)
Components of ERP - ANSWER Usually labelled by polarity and latency, P300,
P3
PET scan - ANSWER Positron emission tomography. Radioactive glucose (sugar)
is used to see what parts of the brain are using energy
MRI - ANSWER Studies brain anatomy. Internal structures using magnetism, radio
waves and a computer. Images and resolution VERY detailed
fMRI - ANSWER Functional MRI, studies brain function, regional changes in
bloodflow. O2 concentration changes. Spacial resolution increased, temporal
resolution decreased
Regions of color show increased blood flow to specific areas of the brain (showing
,more activity)
Lesion studies - ANSWER Experimental vs "experiments of nature"
Don't test on humans, animals are used
Transcranial magnetic stimulation - ANSWER 1. Temp "lesion" (disruption)
2. Vary magnetic field - electrical current within any volume where it passes.
Hyper or Hypo
Genotype - ANSWER Full set of all genes
Phenotype - ANSWER Appearance of having a gene. Interaction used
Alleles - ANSWER Different forms of a trait that a gene may have
Pedigree - ANSWER family trees
Genetic mutation - ANSWER Posi/neg/neutral effects. Gene is malfunctioning
Polygenic inheritance - ANSWER A group of gene pairs acts together to produce a
trait
Multiplier effect - ANSWER Indirect, mood/temper tamtrums
Genes - small increase in some activity - becomes magnified
Evolutionary psychology - ANSWER Evolution of bx and the brain.
Natural selection - ANSWER Traits increase reproduction and survival
Behavioral genetics - ANSWER Relative power and limits of genetic and
environmental influences on bx
Neurodevelopment - ANSWER Prenatal & early childhood crucial. Brain
architecture is a bottom-up sequence - higher capacities are difficult without lower
capacities.
How many brain cells are we born with? - ANSWER 100,000,000,000. Most
potential for synaptic connections as a fetus - 15,000 for each cell
Cortical specificity - ANSWER differentiation due to environment - or are infants
born with domain-specific modules?
, Adolescent neurodevelopment - ANSWER Frontal lobes not fully developed until
mid 20s.
Prefrontal cortex responsible for cognition, decision making, thinking about
consequences, etc
Temporal lobes mature around 18-19. Limbic system regulates motivation
Late adulthood changes - ANSWER Inductive reasoning, spatial orientation, and
perceptual speed slowly decline with age
What is the Nun study? - ANSWER Less stress correlated to less likeliness of
alzheimers. Symptoms: some brains in postmortem autopsy clearly had physical
traits of A.D. but no antimortem signs.
Tourette syndrome - ANSWER Tics, usually diagnosed before 10. Symptoms
range from simple - complex
What genes have the highest probability of resulting in Tourette syndrome? -
ANSWER Your last 3 genes, 70% probability
Basal ganglia - ANSWER Thalamus, prefontal cortex.
Parkinson's disease - ANSWER Rare <30 years old. 4.6 million affected ww.
Movement, tremors, degeneration of neurons in the substantia nigra. Dopamine rich
part of the brain. Discovered 1817 by Dr. James Parkinson
How is PD treated? - ANSWER Deep brain stimulation (DBS), pacemaker,
stimulation - brain & "rebalance"
DBS - ANSWER Tiny electrodes surgically implanted in the brain and connected
via a subcutaneous wire to a neurostimulator (or 2) implanted under the skin near
ANSWERS
Scientific approach - ANSWER Intuition and common sense
Placebo - ANSWER formerly considered an obstruction to data, now is understood
that the anchor motivates your brain to act a certain way.
Hindsight Bias - ANSWER "I knew it all along"
Bias Circle - ANSWER Epistemology, interpretation of theory, operationalization,
design-task-structure, sample, study executive & conduct, data collection, data
recording, analysis, interpretation, report
Cognitive neuroscience - ANSWER Study of neural mechanisms underlying
cognition
EEG (electroencephalogram) - ANSWER Use surface electrodes to record the
activity of underlying brain tissue
ERP (event-related potential) - ANSWER Averaging across related stimuli, allows
event-related activity to be identified. Similar to EEG but related to an event
(decision-making, etc)
Components of ERP - ANSWER Usually labelled by polarity and latency, P300,
P3
PET scan - ANSWER Positron emission tomography. Radioactive glucose (sugar)
is used to see what parts of the brain are using energy
MRI - ANSWER Studies brain anatomy. Internal structures using magnetism, radio
waves and a computer. Images and resolution VERY detailed
fMRI - ANSWER Functional MRI, studies brain function, regional changes in
bloodflow. O2 concentration changes. Spacial resolution increased, temporal
resolution decreased
Regions of color show increased blood flow to specific areas of the brain (showing
,more activity)
Lesion studies - ANSWER Experimental vs "experiments of nature"
Don't test on humans, animals are used
Transcranial magnetic stimulation - ANSWER 1. Temp "lesion" (disruption)
2. Vary magnetic field - electrical current within any volume where it passes.
Hyper or Hypo
Genotype - ANSWER Full set of all genes
Phenotype - ANSWER Appearance of having a gene. Interaction used
Alleles - ANSWER Different forms of a trait that a gene may have
Pedigree - ANSWER family trees
Genetic mutation - ANSWER Posi/neg/neutral effects. Gene is malfunctioning
Polygenic inheritance - ANSWER A group of gene pairs acts together to produce a
trait
Multiplier effect - ANSWER Indirect, mood/temper tamtrums
Genes - small increase in some activity - becomes magnified
Evolutionary psychology - ANSWER Evolution of bx and the brain.
Natural selection - ANSWER Traits increase reproduction and survival
Behavioral genetics - ANSWER Relative power and limits of genetic and
environmental influences on bx
Neurodevelopment - ANSWER Prenatal & early childhood crucial. Brain
architecture is a bottom-up sequence - higher capacities are difficult without lower
capacities.
How many brain cells are we born with? - ANSWER 100,000,000,000. Most
potential for synaptic connections as a fetus - 15,000 for each cell
Cortical specificity - ANSWER differentiation due to environment - or are infants
born with domain-specific modules?
, Adolescent neurodevelopment - ANSWER Frontal lobes not fully developed until
mid 20s.
Prefrontal cortex responsible for cognition, decision making, thinking about
consequences, etc
Temporal lobes mature around 18-19. Limbic system regulates motivation
Late adulthood changes - ANSWER Inductive reasoning, spatial orientation, and
perceptual speed slowly decline with age
What is the Nun study? - ANSWER Less stress correlated to less likeliness of
alzheimers. Symptoms: some brains in postmortem autopsy clearly had physical
traits of A.D. but no antimortem signs.
Tourette syndrome - ANSWER Tics, usually diagnosed before 10. Symptoms
range from simple - complex
What genes have the highest probability of resulting in Tourette syndrome? -
ANSWER Your last 3 genes, 70% probability
Basal ganglia - ANSWER Thalamus, prefontal cortex.
Parkinson's disease - ANSWER Rare <30 years old. 4.6 million affected ww.
Movement, tremors, degeneration of neurons in the substantia nigra. Dopamine rich
part of the brain. Discovered 1817 by Dr. James Parkinson
How is PD treated? - ANSWER Deep brain stimulation (DBS), pacemaker,
stimulation - brain & "rebalance"
DBS - ANSWER Tiny electrodes surgically implanted in the brain and connected
via a subcutaneous wire to a neurostimulator (or 2) implanted under the skin near
