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Flashcards · 9685 · AS Topic 2

Unit 2 – Biopsychology, Development and Research Methods 1 (AS Level) flashcards

23 cards on AS Topic 2, subtopics 3.2.1 to 3.2.3. Pick a subtopic or study them all.

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3.2.1 Biopsychology

What are the divisions of the nervous system?
The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system, which divides into the somatic and autonomic systems. The autonomic system is part of the peripheral system.
Sensory vs relay vs motor neurons
Sensory neurons carry impulses from receptors to the CNS. Relay neurons connect neurons within the CNS. Motor neurons carry impulses from the CNS to muscles and glands.
Excitation vs inhibition in synaptic transmission
An excitatory neurotransmitter makes the postsynaptic neuron more likely to fire. An inhibitory neurotransmitter makes it less likely. The overall effect depends on the sum of inputs.
How does the endocrine system differ from the nervous system?
Glands release hormones directly into the bloodstream. This is slower than electrical nerve signalling but its effects last longer.
What is the sequence of the fight or flight response?
Threat → amygdala signals the hypothalamus → sympathetic nervous system and adrenal medulla → adrenaline → raised heart rate, blood diverted to muscles, dilated pupils.
What did split-brain research show?
In patients whose corpus callosum was cut, information shown to one hemisphere could not be reported if speech was controlled by the other, evidence of hemispheric lateralisation (language mainly in the left).
What did Maguire et al. (2000) find about London taxi drivers?
They had larger posterior hippocampi than controls, and volume correlated with time spent driving: evidence of brain plasticity, though the data are correlational.
How does functional recovery after trauma happen?
Other areas take over lost functions, e.g. homologous areas in the opposite hemisphere are recruited and undamaged neurons form new connections (axonal sprouting).

3.2.2 Cognitive Development

Assimilation vs accommodation vs equilibration
Assimilation: fitting new information into a schema. Accommodation: changing the schema when it does not fit. Equilibration: restoring balance after disequilibrium.
Name Piaget's stages and one characteristic of each
Sensorimotor: object permanence develops. Pre-operational: egocentrism, no conservation. Concrete operational: conservation and class inclusion. Formal operational: abstract reasoning.
What is Baillargeon's violation of expectation research?
Infants look longer at physically impossible events than possible ones, which suggests surprise and so knowledge of the physical world earlier than Piaget claimed. Looking time may reflect novelty instead.
Zone of proximal development vs scaffolding (Vygotsky)
ZPD: the gap between what a learner can do alone and what they can do with expert help. Scaffolding: temporary support from an expert, withdrawn as the learner becomes more skilled.
Piaget vs Vygotsky on what drives cognitive development
Piaget: internal, stage-based development driven by maturation and discovery. Vygotsky: development is driven by social interaction and culture, with language as a key tool.
What does the Sally-Anne task test, and what is a pass?
Theory of mind. A child passes by saying Sally will look where she left the object, not where Anne moved it, showing they understand Sally holds a false belief.
Why are mirror neurons linked to social cognition?
They fire both when a person performs an action and when they watch someone else perform it, so they may help us understand others' actions and intentions.

3.2.3 Research Methods 1

Laboratory vs field vs natural experiment
Laboratory: IV manipulated in a controlled setting. Field: IV manipulated in a natural setting. Natural: the IV varies naturally and is not manipulated by the researcher.
Aim vs hypothesis
An aim is a general statement of what the study intends to investigate. A hypothesis is a precise, testable prediction. It can be directional or non-directional.
Random vs opportunity sampling
Random: every member of the target population has an equal chance of selection (less bias). Opportunity: using whoever is available (quick, but likely to be biased).
What is a pilot study for?
A small-scale trial run before the main study, to check procedures, instructions and materials and fix problems before time and money are spent.
Random allocation vs counterbalancing
Random allocation: participants are assigned to conditions by chance, in independent groups. Counterbalancing: half do A then B, half B then A, to balance order effects in repeated measures.
What are demand characteristics?
Cues that let participants guess the aim of a study, so they change their behaviour, e.g. to help or spoil the results.
What is a meta-analysis?
A form of secondary data analysis that combines the results of many studies on the same question to give an overall effect.
Normal vs skewed distribution
Normal: symmetrical bell curve with mean, median and mode equal. Positive skew: tail to the right, mean higher than median. Negative skew: tail to the left, mean lower than median.

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