Exam

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section you should be able to

describe and evaluate the physiological approach in psychology

describe and evaluate various methodologies used by the physiological approach

consider pertinent issues perspectives and debates context and theory strengths and

limitations and the implications of core studies of the physiological approach

MAGUIRE E A GADIAN D G JOHNSRUDE I S GOOD C D ASHBURNER J FRACKOWIAK RS amp FRITH C D (2000) Navigation-related structural changes in the hippocampi of taxi drivers Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 97 4398ndash4403

DEMENT W amp KLEITMAN N (1957) The relation of eye movements during sleep to dream activity Journal of Experimental Psychology 53 (5) 339ndash346

SPERRY R (1968) Hemisphere deconnection and unity in consciousness American Psychologist 23

723ndash733

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 2

Physiological Glossary

Dement and Kleitman

EEGhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

EOGhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

REMhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Non-REMhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Fixed arrayhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Maguire

Hippocampushelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

MRI scanhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Pixel countinghelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

VBMhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Neural Plasticityhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Spatial Memoryhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Grey Matterhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Sperry

Corpus Callosumhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Commisurotomy

Right Visual Fieldhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Left Visual Fieldhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Tactile Stimulihelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Lateralisationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 3

Physiological Approach

Assumptions of the Physiological Approach

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Physiological Approach

Strengths Weaknesses

Implications

Implications

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 2

Physiological Glossary

Dement and Kleitman

EEGhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

EOGhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

REMhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Non-REMhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Fixed arrayhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Maguire

Hippocampushelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

MRI scanhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Pixel countinghelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

VBMhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Neural Plasticityhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Spatial Memoryhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Grey Matterhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Sperry

Corpus Callosumhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Commisurotomy

Right Visual Fieldhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Left Visual Fieldhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Tactile Stimulihelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Lateralisationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 3

Physiological Approach

Assumptions of the Physiological Approach

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Physiological Approach

Strengths Weaknesses

Implications

Implications

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 3

Physiological Approach

Assumptions of the Physiological Approach

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Physiological Approach

Strengths Weaknesses

Implications

Implications

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 4

The relation of eye movements during sleep to dream activity An objective method for the

study of dreaming

There are 5 stages of sleep draw the EEG recording and describe each stage

In pairs take turns

to summarise a

dream you have

had

Can you think what makes you have this

dream

Why do you think you dream

Do unusual

things happen in

your dreams

1

2

3

4

5

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 5

Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses

Hypothesis

1

Hypothesis

2

Hypothesis

3

Draw a line to correct part of diagram to show where electrodes were attached in order for

experimenters to monitor eye movement and brain activity

From the study by Dement amp Kleitman what does an electroencephalogram (EEG) record (2)

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Outline one problem with using an EEG to investigate dreaming (2)

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Electro-encephalogram (EEG)

Electro-oculogram(EOG)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 5

Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses

Hypothesis

1

Hypothesis

2

Hypothesis

3

Draw a line to correct part of diagram to show where electrodes were attached in order for

experimenters to monitor eye movement and brain activity

From the study by Dement amp Kleitman what does an electroencephalogram (EEG) record (2)

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Outline one problem with using an EEG to investigate dreaming (2)

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Electro-encephalogram (EEG)

Electro-oculogram(EOG)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 6

Procedure for Hypothesis 1

Procedure for Hypothesis 2

Procedure for Hypothesis 3

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 7

Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses

Findings Conclusion

Hypothesis

1

Hypothesis

2

Hypothesis

3

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 8

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 9

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks]

2 Give two measures that the researchers obtained while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks]

3 Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks]

4 Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks]

5 From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give fourcharacteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks]

6 In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement andKleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements

(REM)only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidencewhich supports this suggestion and one

piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks]

7 Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall fromNREM was higher if the awakening occurred within

eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurredlater How did they explain this difference

[2 Marks]

8 Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks ]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) State a suitable hypothesis for the study by Dement and Kletiman (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Dement and Kleitman (2)

c) Describe the measures of sleep used in this study (2)

d) Explain how the validity of these measurements could be assessed (6)

e) Outline the conclusions of this study (8)

f) Suggest two changes to this study and outline how these changes might affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 10

Make a connection between sea

horses and the hippocampi

What is the hippocampus Where is it in the brain What does the hippocampus do

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 11

Previous research on the role of the hippocampus

Other evidence to suggest the hippocampus is important for navigational memory

1 Animals that have a large territory have a large hippocampus

2 Small mammals and birds who engage in lots of food storage have a large hippocampus

3 Racing pigeons renowned for their skill at flying home long distances from unknown

locations have a large hippocampus (compared to other breeds of pigeon)

Aim

Participants

Research Method and Design (remember what they are and the difference between them)

The role of the hippocampus on our memory - evidence from human Ps using page 68 of your

textbooks answer the following questions

1) Why did HM have surgery

2) What part of the brain was removed

3) What impact did this have on his memory

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 12

Independent variables and dependent variables

Procedure (include info on pixel counting and VBM)

Controls ndash (variables kept the same in each condition)

Results

Difference between taxi-drivers and non-taxi-drivers

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 13

Results continued

Correlational results

Conclusions

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 7

Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses

Findings Conclusion

Hypothesis

1

Hypothesis

2

Hypothesis

3

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 8

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 9

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks]

2 Give two measures that the researchers obtained while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks]

3 Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks]

4 Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks]

5 From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give fourcharacteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks]

6 In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement andKleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements

(REM)only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidencewhich supports this suggestion and one

piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks]

7 Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall fromNREM was higher if the awakening occurred within

eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurredlater How did they explain this difference

[2 Marks]

8 Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks ]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) State a suitable hypothesis for the study by Dement and Kletiman (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Dement and Kleitman (2)

c) Describe the measures of sleep used in this study (2)

d) Explain how the validity of these measurements could be assessed (6)

e) Outline the conclusions of this study (8)

f) Suggest two changes to this study and outline how these changes might affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 10

Make a connection between sea

horses and the hippocampi

What is the hippocampus Where is it in the brain What does the hippocampus do

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 11

Previous research on the role of the hippocampus

Other evidence to suggest the hippocampus is important for navigational memory

1 Animals that have a large territory have a large hippocampus

2 Small mammals and birds who engage in lots of food storage have a large hippocampus

3 Racing pigeons renowned for their skill at flying home long distances from unknown

locations have a large hippocampus (compared to other breeds of pigeon)

Aim

Participants

Research Method and Design (remember what they are and the difference between them)

The role of the hippocampus on our memory - evidence from human Ps using page 68 of your

textbooks answer the following questions

1) Why did HM have surgery

2) What part of the brain was removed

3) What impact did this have on his memory

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 12

Independent variables and dependent variables

Procedure (include info on pixel counting and VBM)

Controls ndash (variables kept the same in each condition)

Results

Difference between taxi-drivers and non-taxi-drivers

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 13

Results continued

Correlational results

Conclusions

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 8

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 9

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks]

2 Give two measures that the researchers obtained while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks]

3 Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks]

4 Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks]

5 From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give fourcharacteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks]

6 In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement andKleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements

(REM)only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidencewhich supports this suggestion and one

piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks]

7 Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall fromNREM was higher if the awakening occurred within

eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurredlater How did they explain this difference

[2 Marks]

8 Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks ]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) State a suitable hypothesis for the study by Dement and Kletiman (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Dement and Kleitman (2)

c) Describe the measures of sleep used in this study (2)

d) Explain how the validity of these measurements could be assessed (6)

e) Outline the conclusions of this study (8)

f) Suggest two changes to this study and outline how these changes might affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 10

Make a connection between sea

horses and the hippocampi

What is the hippocampus Where is it in the brain What does the hippocampus do

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 11

Previous research on the role of the hippocampus

Other evidence to suggest the hippocampus is important for navigational memory

1 Animals that have a large territory have a large hippocampus

2 Small mammals and birds who engage in lots of food storage have a large hippocampus

3 Racing pigeons renowned for their skill at flying home long distances from unknown

locations have a large hippocampus (compared to other breeds of pigeon)

Aim

Participants

Research Method and Design (remember what they are and the difference between them)

The role of the hippocampus on our memory - evidence from human Ps using page 68 of your

textbooks answer the following questions

1) Why did HM have surgery

2) What part of the brain was removed

3) What impact did this have on his memory

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 12

Independent variables and dependent variables

Procedure (include info on pixel counting and VBM)

Controls ndash (variables kept the same in each condition)

Results

Difference between taxi-drivers and non-taxi-drivers

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 13

Results continued

Correlational results

Conclusions

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 9

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks]

2 Give two measures that the researchers obtained while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks]

3 Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks]

4 Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks]

5 From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give fourcharacteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks]

6 In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement andKleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements

(REM)only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidencewhich supports this suggestion and one

piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks]

7 Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall fromNREM was higher if the awakening occurred within

eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurredlater How did they explain this difference

[2 Marks]

8 Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks ]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) State a suitable hypothesis for the study by Dement and Kletiman (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Dement and Kleitman (2)

c) Describe the measures of sleep used in this study (2)

d) Explain how the validity of these measurements could be assessed (6)

e) Outline the conclusions of this study (8)

f) Suggest two changes to this study and outline how these changes might affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 10

Make a connection between sea

horses and the hippocampi

What is the hippocampus Where is it in the brain What does the hippocampus do

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 11

Previous research on the role of the hippocampus

Other evidence to suggest the hippocampus is important for navigational memory

1 Animals that have a large territory have a large hippocampus

2 Small mammals and birds who engage in lots of food storage have a large hippocampus

3 Racing pigeons renowned for their skill at flying home long distances from unknown

locations have a large hippocampus (compared to other breeds of pigeon)

Aim

Participants

Research Method and Design (remember what they are and the difference between them)

The role of the hippocampus on our memory - evidence from human Ps using page 68 of your

textbooks answer the following questions

1) Why did HM have surgery

2) What part of the brain was removed

3) What impact did this have on his memory

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 12

Independent variables and dependent variables

Procedure (include info on pixel counting and VBM)

Controls ndash (variables kept the same in each condition)

Results

Difference between taxi-drivers and non-taxi-drivers

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 13

Results continued

Correlational results

Conclusions

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 10

Make a connection between sea

horses and the hippocampi

What is the hippocampus Where is it in the brain What does the hippocampus do

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 11

Previous research on the role of the hippocampus

Other evidence to suggest the hippocampus is important for navigational memory

1 Animals that have a large territory have a large hippocampus

2 Small mammals and birds who engage in lots of food storage have a large hippocampus

3 Racing pigeons renowned for their skill at flying home long distances from unknown

locations have a large hippocampus (compared to other breeds of pigeon)

Aim

Participants

Research Method and Design (remember what they are and the difference between them)

The role of the hippocampus on our memory - evidence from human Ps using page 68 of your

textbooks answer the following questions

1) Why did HM have surgery

2) What part of the brain was removed

3) What impact did this have on his memory

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 12

Independent variables and dependent variables

Procedure (include info on pixel counting and VBM)

Controls ndash (variables kept the same in each condition)

Results

Difference between taxi-drivers and non-taxi-drivers

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 13

Results continued

Correlational results

Conclusions

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 11

Previous research on the role of the hippocampus

Other evidence to suggest the hippocampus is important for navigational memory

1 Animals that have a large territory have a large hippocampus

2 Small mammals and birds who engage in lots of food storage have a large hippocampus

3 Racing pigeons renowned for their skill at flying home long distances from unknown

locations have a large hippocampus (compared to other breeds of pigeon)

Aim

Participants

Research Method and Design (remember what they are and the difference between them)

The role of the hippocampus on our memory - evidence from human Ps using page 68 of your

textbooks answer the following questions

1) Why did HM have surgery

2) What part of the brain was removed

3) What impact did this have on his memory

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 12

Independent variables and dependent variables

Procedure (include info on pixel counting and VBM)

Controls ndash (variables kept the same in each condition)

Results

Difference between taxi-drivers and non-taxi-drivers

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 13

Results continued

Correlational results

Conclusions

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 12

Independent variables and dependent variables

Procedure (include info on pixel counting and VBM)

Controls ndash (variables kept the same in each condition)

Results

Difference between taxi-drivers and non-taxi-drivers

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 13

Results continued

Correlational results

Conclusions

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 13

Results continued

Correlational results

Conclusions

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 14

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 15

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 a) Explain why Maguire et al used taxi drivers in their study of spatial memory

(2)

b) Identify two criteria used to select the taxi drivers as participants in this study

(2)

2 a) Describe one finding from this study (2)

b) Suggest how the findings from this study might be used

(2)

3 Outline two major ideas of the biological approach to psychology that are in this study

(4)

4 Outline one control that was used in the study of brain scans by Maguire et al and

explain why it was important to use this control

(4)

5 The study by Maguire et al used the biological technique of brain scanning

Describe one commonly used brain scanning technique

Suggest one reason why results gained from such biological scanning techniques should be

treated with caution

(2)

6

a)

In the study by Maguire et al describe one method used to analyse the brain scans

(2)

b) Describe one result obtained using this method

(2)

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Maguire et al (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Maguire et al and give one limitation of the

sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Maguire et al (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Maguire et al and suggest how it

could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Maguire et al (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Maguire et al and outline how these changes might

affect the results

(8)

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 16

TASK 1 Using page 84 of your textbook label the diagram below using the following terms

right optic nerve corpus callosum right half of visual field

right retina left optic nerve Left retina

left half of visual field

TASK 2 Label the hemisphere (R or L) that you think the following capabilities belong to

Speech Spatial skill Drawing

Non-verbal Language Language comprehension

Mathematics Writing

What is the corpus callosum and what does it do

What is a commisurotomy

What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed

(cut)

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 17

Who were the participants in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Describe the research method used in the Dement and Kleitman study

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

TASK Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and

techniques used by Sperry Use page 86 of the textbook to help you

Procedure

Sperry used a number of different tasks with his participants to test the abilities of their

separated hemispheres

Tasks involving both visual hemisperes

Tasks involving only one visual field

Tactile tasks

Hand pose test

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 18

Findings

Test conditions

Findings

The word

Key projected to left visual field

Case projected to right visual field

Asked what they had seen stated

Participants then had to search amongst different

objects with Left hand to find the bdquokey‟ they picked

out

Right hand

A picture

$ shown to Left visual field

pound shown to right visual field

Asked to draw

what seen with left hand drew

what seen with right hand drew

Object is put into Ps hands (out of sight)

Object put into Ps right hand could they name them

Object put into Ps left hand could they name them

bdquohandpose test‟

Participants palms are facing upwards (out of

sight) the researcher touches one finger

Ps are then asked to use the thumb (that was on the

hand not touched) to touch the finger touched by the

experimenter could they do it

Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the

language limitations of the right hemisphere of

the brain amp a piece of evidence that the right

hemisphere is not completely word blind

Language limitation

Right hemisphere not completely word blind

What was found in tasks requiring parallel

response

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 19

Evaluation Issues to consider ndash ethics method sample design procedure reliability and validity

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

Conclusions

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 20

Suggest how your chosen study could be improved (8)

Outline the implications of the improvements you have suggested for your

chosen study (8)

What changes would you make What would the effect of the changes be

Note ndash you need to write enough in each column for 8 marks

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 21

SECTION A QUESTIONS

1 (a) In the study by Sperry what is meant by the term ldquosplit brainrdquo [2]

(b) Explain one problem with making generalisations about normal brain activity from a study of

people with split brains [2]

2 (a) What technique did Sperry use to present information to only one side of the brain [2]

(b) Why does this technique not present a problem to people with ldquonormalrdquo brains [2]

3 From the paper by Sperry on split brain patients outline the evidence which indicates that

language is processed in the left hemisphere of the brain [4]

4 In the paper by Sperry on split brain patients he writes ldquothe second hemisphere does not know

what the first hemisphere has been doingrdquo

(a) Give one piece of evidence to support this statement [2]

(b) Explain why this problem does not matter in the everyday activity of the patients in this study

[2]

5 (a) In the study by Sperry why did the patients have their brains cut in two [2]

(b) How were they able to adapt in most everyday situations [2]

6 (a) From the study by Sperry outline the major function of the corpus collosum [2]

(b) Sperry suggested that we effectively have two minds Outline one piece of evidence from the

study that shows this [2]

SECTION B QUESTIONS

a) Identify the aim of the study by Sperry (2)

b) Describe the sample used in the study by Sperry and give one

limitation of the sample

(6)

c) Describe how behaviour was tested in the study by Sperry (6)

d) Describe one of the ethical issues raised in the study by Sperry

and suggest how it could be dealt with

(6)

e) Outline the conclusions of the study by Sperry (8)

f) Suggest two changes to the study by Sperry and outline how

these changes might affect the results

(8)

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

Key Debate - Reductionism

If something is reductionist it means it uses the simplest explanation to describe complex behaviour

To understand fully what it means complete the word gap exercise below

TASK 1 Fill in the gaps below using the words provided in the box

Reductionism is the way in which ____________ often explain ______________ psychological

phenomena by reducing them to a much ____________level often focusing on a ___________

factor Most research is _________________ to an extent as most ______________ studies

choose to examine the influence of single factors on complex ________________

Problems associated with reductionist explanations include

they make complex behaviours seem very ________________

some of the bdquo____________ level‟ explanations (__________ rather than physiological for

example) may be more interesting and more ___________

reductionism can detract from the study of the bdquowhole‟ person or animal

Strengths of reductionism are

reductionism makes concepts ___________ to test

it is _________________ amp tends to use the scientific method of ________________

laboratory experiments which are ________________

if we reduce explanations to their most basic level we are less likely to use ______________

and possibly inaccurate explanations

NOTE Then issue of reductionism does not just apply to the physiological approach What

other approaches do you think it applies to

single behaviours simpler easier

experimental complex useful psychologists

subjective reductionist controlled social

scientific higher simplistic replicable

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 23

In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological Approachin

Psychology The question could look something like this-

a) Outline one assumption of the physiological approach in psychology (2)

b) Describe how the physiological approach could explainhellip (4)

c) Describeone similarityand one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

d) Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples

from physiological approach studies (12)

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains dreaming (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains the lateralisation of brain function (4)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

b)Describe how the physiological approach explains spatial memory (4)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 24

Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)

Similarities Differences

Now have a go at answering the questionhellip

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 25

Discussstrengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using examples

from anyphysiological approach studies (12)

Point Example Comment

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 26

DEMENT AND KLEITMAN

Aim To determine the relationship between eye-movements and dreaming during sleep Dement and Kleitman

wanted to answer 3 questions

Will people be more likely to report dreams during REM sleep than non-REM sleep

Can people accurately estimate the length of their dreams

Are eye-movements related to dream content

Method Correlation in a laboratory

Participants 7 adult males and 2 adult females

Procedure Participants were asked not to consume caffeine or alcohol during the day preceeding the

experiment They arrived at the sleep laboratory in time for their normal bed time

Electrodes were placed on the scalp to measure brain activity and near the eyes to measure eye movement The

participants then went to a quiet dark room to go to sleep

At various times during the night the participant was woken by a doorbell and asked to recall their dream if

they had been dreaming and they were also asked about the length of their dream They spoke into a tape

recorder

Results

1 Participants were much more likely to recall dreams when they were woken during REM sleep than during

non-REM sleep

2 Participants were accurate in their estimation of dream length One participant was responsible for a large

number of the errors made when estimating dream length

3 Eye movement seemed to be related to dream content eg someone whose eye-movements had been mainly

horizontal had been dreaming about people throwing tomatoes at each other whereas someone whose eye-

movements had been mainly vertical had been dreaming about watching someone climb a ladder

Conclusions People do recall dreams better during REM Where people recall dreams during non-REM they are

probably remembering the dream they had during their last period of REM sleep People can usually estimate

the length of their dreams quite accurately and eye-movements are related to dream content

Strengths

Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered

Gave an objective way to measure dreams for the first time

Promoted further research into sleep and dreaming

High levels of control over variables

Weaknesses

Small number of participants only 5 of whom were studied intensively

Low ecological validity as people do not usually have electrodes attached to them nor are they

frequently woken up during their dreams

It could be argued that they tested dream recall rather than actual dreams so people might dream

during non-REM sleep but only recall them during REM sleep

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 27

MAGUIRE

Aim The study attempts to determine whether changes could be detected in the brains of humans

who have extreme experience of spatial navigation

Method Quasi- experiment

Participants Sixteen male licensed cab drivers who had passed bdquothe knowledge‟ All were right

handed and were aged between 32 and 62 with a mean age of 44 They had all been licensed at least

18 months although the range was from 18 months to 42 years with a mean 143 years The control

group consisted of scans selected from a database All of the control group were healthy right

handed males aged between 32 and 62 None of the control group were cab drivers

Procedure The brains of the taxi drivers were scanned using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

scan The volume of the hippocampus was measured using voxel based morphology (3 dimensions) and

pixel counting (2 dimensions) and was compared to that of 50 brain scans of male right-handed non

taxi drivers

Results

Using the VBM (voxel based morphology) showed that the brains of cab drivers showed

significantly increased grey matter volume in the right and left posterior hippocampi

The control group had relatively greater grey matter volume in the anterior hippocampi

relative to the cab drivers

No other differences were found between the brains of the two groups

The pixel counting technique showed that there was no significant difference in the overall

volume of the hippocampi between the cab drivers and the control group but did confirm the

regional differences described above

The volume of the right posterior hippocampus showed a positive correlation with the length

of time as a cab driver the results were reversed when looking at the anterior hippocampus

Conclusions

The results how that experience can affect the volume of structures of the brain

Strengths

MRI scans give a detailed view of the brain and are safe and painless

Applying these results to a broader context shows that the brain changes in response to

experience

The choice of cab drivers as a sample was good as they are a discrete group of people with

specific knowledge and experience

The data collected was quantitative and collected using precise equipment so there is unlikely

to be any bias

Weaknesses

Problems with interpreting MRI scans

You can‟t use MRI scans on people with pace makers and unsuitable for people with

claustrophobia

The results cannot be generalised to left handed taxi drivers male or female

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from

AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach

Page 28

SPERRY

Aim To investigate the hemispheric functioning of split brain patients

Method Quasi-experiment

Participants 11 individuals who had their corpus callosum severed (commisurectomies) to treat

severe epilepsy Two of these (one male and one female) were studied in detail

Procedure Information was presented to one hemisphere by presenting it to only one visual field

Their hands were screened from them so they cannot see objects placed in front of them ie an

object shown to the right visual field or placed in the right hand will only be perceived by the left

hemisphere

Results

Information shown to only one hemisphere will only be recalled if shown to the same

hemisphere again

Visual material shown to the left hemisphere (right visual field) can be described in speech

and writing If it is shown to the right hemisphere (left visual field) participants will deny

seeing anything but they are able to pick out the correct object with their left hand

If two different figures are shown to the hemispheres then the participant will be able to

draw what they have seen in the left visual field with their left hand (right hemisphere)

However if asked what they have drawn they will tell you the object they saw in the right

visual field (left hemisphere)

An object placed in the right hand (left hemisphere) can be described and named An object

placed in the left hand (right hemisphere) cannot be described or named but can be selected

from other objects

Objects can only be selected again by the hand in which they were originally placed The left

hand will ignore objects that the right hand is looking for and vice versa As Sperry

commented it is like two different people are completing the same task

Conclusions

There is some lateralisation of function between the hemispheres

Strengths

High levels of control

Clearly demonstrated the lateralisation of function between the left and right hemisphere

Ethical

Although it was a small sample it was probably representative of the people who have had this

operation

Weaknesses

The tasks are low in ecological validity- the problems participants faced in the task would

probably not be a problem in real life

It may not be possible to compare the brains of severe epileptics who have undergone brain

surgery to the brains of bdquonormal‟ people

There were only 11 participants which is a small sample to generalise from