PYC4813
ASSIGNMENT 3 2026
DUE: 19 OCTOBER 2026
SEMESTER 1 2026
, PYC4813 ASSIGNMENT 3 PORTFOLIO 2026
29 OCTOBER 2026
Case Study
Name: Thabo (pseudonym) Age: 29 years Gender: Male Occupation: Data analyst in
the financial sector Thabo was referred to a neuropsychologist for assessment by the
industrial psychologist at his company due to experiencing significant challenges in
working with team members and interacting with his line manager. While Thabo’s
performance reviews had been excellent, he struggled to adapt to new workflows
brought about by incorporating new technologies into the company. Thabo’s colleagues
describe him as withdrawn, inflexible, and unable to change his approach to his duties
to ensure that the “big picture” is taken into account. Based on several sessions with
Thabo, the industrial psychologist has referred him for a comprehensive
neuropsychological assessment as he suspects that Thabo may be struggling to adapt
to the changing work environment for cognitive / neuroscientific reasons rather than due
to his personality or attitude.
Question 1
Neuroimaging in neuropsychological assessment serves to identify structural or
functional brain abnormalities that may underlie cognitive, behavioural, or emotional
difficulties, thereby ruling out treatable neurological conditions or confirming organic
contributions (Kalat, 2024). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was selected for Thabo
because it provides high-resolution structural images of soft tissue without ionising
radiation, allowing detailed visualisation of gross anatomy, lesions, tumours, or
traumatic injury (Kalat, 2024; Warach, 1995). In contrast, positron emission tomography
(PET) measures metabolic or functional activity by detecting a radioactive tracer e.g.
ASSIGNMENT 3 2026
DUE: 19 OCTOBER 2026
SEMESTER 1 2026
, PYC4813 ASSIGNMENT 3 PORTFOLIO 2026
29 OCTOBER 2026
Case Study
Name: Thabo (pseudonym) Age: 29 years Gender: Male Occupation: Data analyst in
the financial sector Thabo was referred to a neuropsychologist for assessment by the
industrial psychologist at his company due to experiencing significant challenges in
working with team members and interacting with his line manager. While Thabo’s
performance reviews had been excellent, he struggled to adapt to new workflows
brought about by incorporating new technologies into the company. Thabo’s colleagues
describe him as withdrawn, inflexible, and unable to change his approach to his duties
to ensure that the “big picture” is taken into account. Based on several sessions with
Thabo, the industrial psychologist has referred him for a comprehensive
neuropsychological assessment as he suspects that Thabo may be struggling to adapt
to the changing work environment for cognitive / neuroscientific reasons rather than due
to his personality or attitude.
Question 1
Neuroimaging in neuropsychological assessment serves to identify structural or
functional brain abnormalities that may underlie cognitive, behavioural, or emotional
difficulties, thereby ruling out treatable neurological conditions or confirming organic
contributions (Kalat, 2024). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was selected for Thabo
because it provides high-resolution structural images of soft tissue without ionising
radiation, allowing detailed visualisation of gross anatomy, lesions, tumours, or
traumatic injury (Kalat, 2024; Warach, 1995). In contrast, positron emission tomography
(PET) measures metabolic or functional activity by detecting a radioactive tracer e.g.
