Describe how the physiological approach explains sleep amp dreams (4)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Describe how the physiological approach explains neural plasticity(4)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Describe how the physiological approach explains lateralisation of brain function (4)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
This approach assumes that-
Our behaviour amp experience is determined by our biology ndash
Our behaviour is largely controlled by the brain or the nervous system ndash perhaps
through hormones or neuro-transmitters ndash
That people are biological machines hellip
That heredity is important for understanding behaviour ndash we have 100 of our parents genes
That nature is more important than nurture
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 2
There are 5 stages of sleep each one lasting around90-110 minutes
In pairs take turns
to summarise a
dream you have
had hellip
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 3
Why do we dream Different theories have suggested that hellip
Re-organisation of mental structures
Activation synthesis
Royal road to unconscious
Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses
Hypothesis
1
Hypothesis
2
Hypothesis
3
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 4
This was a lab experiment and the following equipment was used
Draw a line to correct part of diagram to show where electrodes were attached in order for experimenters to
monitor activity of muscle eye movement and brain activity
9 males + 2 females
No coffee or alcohol
From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep what does an electroencephalogram (EEG) record (2)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline one problem with using an EEG to investigate dreaming (2)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Participants
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electroculogram (EOG)
Electromyogram (EMG)
5 61
Describe the procedure in Dement amp Kleitman using the picture clues to help
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 5
Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses
Finding Conclusion
Hypothesis
1
Hypothesis
2
Hypothesis
3
Evaluation of Dement amp Kleitman Point ndash Example - Comment
Strengths Weaknesses
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 6
Test your Understanding of Dement amp Kleitman Multiple Choice
1 Which method was used by Dement and Kleitman
a laboratory experiment
b field experiment
c natural experiment
d quasi experiment
2 What was the design used by Dement and Kleitman
a independent measures design
b matched pairs design
c repeated measures design
d single-subject design
3 How did Dement and Kleitman ensure no researcher contact for dream recall
a spoke into tape recorder
b locked researcher in their room
c woke participants by bell
d had fully automated laboratory
4 Which substances were participants not allowed to have on the day of test
a sugar and caffeine
b alcohol and chocolate
c prescription drugs and caffeine
d caffeine and alcohol
5 Which was not a hypothesis
a Participants in REM sleep are more likely to recall dreams
b Participants will dream better without caffeine
c Participants woken after 5 or 15 minutes will be able to estimate dream length
d Eye movements will link to content of recalled dream
6 Which was one of the independent variables
a whether woken in REM or non-REM sleep
b whether male or female
c whether asleep or awake
d whether in lab or at home
7 Which one was a dependent variable
a estimate of length of dreaming
b whether brain wave patterns changed
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 7
c whether the participant woke up or not
d how long the participant slept for
8 How many participants
a 11 adults
b 9 adults
c 5 males
d 3 females
9 What was measured by machine in sleep lab
a muscle paralysis
b eye movement
c brain waves
d dreaming
10 Which had most dream recall
a awakenings in REM sleep
b awakenings within 8 minutes of end of REM sleep
c awakenings in non-REM sleep
d awakenings within 8 minutes of start of REM sleep
11 When were patients woken to see if dream content linked to eye movements
a 8 minutes after REM sleep finished
b after at least 1 minute of eye movement pattern
c after 5 minutes of eye movement pattern
d after 15 minutes of eye movement pattern
12 Which dream was recalled after mainly vertical eye movements
a no dreams recalled
b two people throwing tomatoes at each other
c talking to people
d standing at bottom of tall cliff looking up at climbers
13 Which dream was recalled after no eye movement
a climbing ladders
b fighting
c driving car
d throwing netballs
14 What did Dement and Kleitman conclude
a Dreams occur spontaneously on waking
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 8
b It is most likely that REM sleep is the only time we dream
c There is no link between REM sleep and dreaming
d Brain wave patterns dictate dream content
15 What was the conclusion about dreams recalled in non-REM sleep
a The EEG was faulty
b People do dream in non-REM sleep
c Awakenings were within 8 minutes of REM sleep therefore memory of REM dream
d Dreaming and REM sleep are not linked at all
16 How many participants did Dement and Kleitman study in detail
a 5
b 9
c 4
d 7
17 Which of these was not an independent variable
a the type of sleep REM or non-REM
b the time asleep 5 or 15 minutes
c the pattern of eye movement
d the dream content
18 Which eye movement pattern gave a dream recall of two people throwing tomatoes
a mainly vertical
b mainly horizontal
c no eye movement
d random eye movements
19 Which length of REM sleep were participants most accurate in assessing
a 15 minutes
b 5 minutes
c 10 minutes
d All the same
20 What does an EMG measure
a brain waves
b eye movement
c muscle movement
d galvanic skin response
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 2
There are 5 stages of sleep each one lasting around90-110 minutes
In pairs take turns
to summarise a
dream you have
had hellip
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 3
Why do we dream Different theories have suggested that hellip
Re-organisation of mental structures
Activation synthesis
Royal road to unconscious
Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses
Hypothesis
1
Hypothesis
2
Hypothesis
3
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 4
This was a lab experiment and the following equipment was used
Draw a line to correct part of diagram to show where electrodes were attached in order for experimenters to
monitor activity of muscle eye movement and brain activity
9 males + 2 females
No coffee or alcohol
From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep what does an electroencephalogram (EEG) record (2)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline one problem with using an EEG to investigate dreaming (2)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Participants
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electroculogram (EOG)
Electromyogram (EMG)
5 61
Describe the procedure in Dement amp Kleitman using the picture clues to help
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 5
Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses
Finding Conclusion
Hypothesis
1
Hypothesis
2
Hypothesis
3
Evaluation of Dement amp Kleitman Point ndash Example - Comment
Strengths Weaknesses
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 6
Test your Understanding of Dement amp Kleitman Multiple Choice
1 Which method was used by Dement and Kleitman
a laboratory experiment
b field experiment
c natural experiment
d quasi experiment
2 What was the design used by Dement and Kleitman
a independent measures design
b matched pairs design
c repeated measures design
d single-subject design
3 How did Dement and Kleitman ensure no researcher contact for dream recall
a spoke into tape recorder
b locked researcher in their room
c woke participants by bell
d had fully automated laboratory
4 Which substances were participants not allowed to have on the day of test
a sugar and caffeine
b alcohol and chocolate
c prescription drugs and caffeine
d caffeine and alcohol
5 Which was not a hypothesis
a Participants in REM sleep are more likely to recall dreams
b Participants will dream better without caffeine
c Participants woken after 5 or 15 minutes will be able to estimate dream length
d Eye movements will link to content of recalled dream
6 Which was one of the independent variables
a whether woken in REM or non-REM sleep
b whether male or female
c whether asleep or awake
d whether in lab or at home
7 Which one was a dependent variable
a estimate of length of dreaming
b whether brain wave patterns changed
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 7
c whether the participant woke up or not
d how long the participant slept for
8 How many participants
a 11 adults
b 9 adults
c 5 males
d 3 females
9 What was measured by machine in sleep lab
a muscle paralysis
b eye movement
c brain waves
d dreaming
10 Which had most dream recall
a awakenings in REM sleep
b awakenings within 8 minutes of end of REM sleep
c awakenings in non-REM sleep
d awakenings within 8 minutes of start of REM sleep
11 When were patients woken to see if dream content linked to eye movements
a 8 minutes after REM sleep finished
b after at least 1 minute of eye movement pattern
c after 5 minutes of eye movement pattern
d after 15 minutes of eye movement pattern
12 Which dream was recalled after mainly vertical eye movements
a no dreams recalled
b two people throwing tomatoes at each other
c talking to people
d standing at bottom of tall cliff looking up at climbers
13 Which dream was recalled after no eye movement
a climbing ladders
b fighting
c driving car
d throwing netballs
14 What did Dement and Kleitman conclude
a Dreams occur spontaneously on waking
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 8
b It is most likely that REM sleep is the only time we dream
c There is no link between REM sleep and dreaming
d Brain wave patterns dictate dream content
15 What was the conclusion about dreams recalled in non-REM sleep
a The EEG was faulty
b People do dream in non-REM sleep
c Awakenings were within 8 minutes of REM sleep therefore memory of REM dream
d Dreaming and REM sleep are not linked at all
16 How many participants did Dement and Kleitman study in detail
a 5
b 9
c 4
d 7
17 Which of these was not an independent variable
a the type of sleep REM or non-REM
b the time asleep 5 or 15 minutes
c the pattern of eye movement
d the dream content
18 Which eye movement pattern gave a dream recall of two people throwing tomatoes
a mainly vertical
b mainly horizontal
c no eye movement
d random eye movements
19 Which length of REM sleep were participants most accurate in assessing
a 15 minutes
b 5 minutes
c 10 minutes
d All the same
20 What does an EMG measure
a brain waves
b eye movement
c muscle movement
d galvanic skin response
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 3
Why do we dream Different theories have suggested that hellip
Re-organisation of mental structures
Activation synthesis
Royal road to unconscious
Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses
Hypothesis
1
Hypothesis
2
Hypothesis
3
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 4
This was a lab experiment and the following equipment was used
Draw a line to correct part of diagram to show where electrodes were attached in order for experimenters to
monitor activity of muscle eye movement and brain activity
9 males + 2 females
No coffee or alcohol
From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep what does an electroencephalogram (EEG) record (2)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline one problem with using an EEG to investigate dreaming (2)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Participants
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electroculogram (EOG)
Electromyogram (EMG)
5 61
Describe the procedure in Dement amp Kleitman using the picture clues to help
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 5
Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses
Finding Conclusion
Hypothesis
1
Hypothesis
2
Hypothesis
3
Evaluation of Dement amp Kleitman Point ndash Example - Comment
Strengths Weaknesses
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 6
Test your Understanding of Dement amp Kleitman Multiple Choice
1 Which method was used by Dement and Kleitman
a laboratory experiment
b field experiment
c natural experiment
d quasi experiment
2 What was the design used by Dement and Kleitman
a independent measures design
b matched pairs design
c repeated measures design
d single-subject design
3 How did Dement and Kleitman ensure no researcher contact for dream recall
a spoke into tape recorder
b locked researcher in their room
c woke participants by bell
d had fully automated laboratory
4 Which substances were participants not allowed to have on the day of test
a sugar and caffeine
b alcohol and chocolate
c prescription drugs and caffeine
d caffeine and alcohol
5 Which was not a hypothesis
a Participants in REM sleep are more likely to recall dreams
b Participants will dream better without caffeine
c Participants woken after 5 or 15 minutes will be able to estimate dream length
d Eye movements will link to content of recalled dream
6 Which was one of the independent variables
a whether woken in REM or non-REM sleep
b whether male or female
c whether asleep or awake
d whether in lab or at home
7 Which one was a dependent variable
a estimate of length of dreaming
b whether brain wave patterns changed
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 7
c whether the participant woke up or not
d how long the participant slept for
8 How many participants
a 11 adults
b 9 adults
c 5 males
d 3 females
9 What was measured by machine in sleep lab
a muscle paralysis
b eye movement
c brain waves
d dreaming
10 Which had most dream recall
a awakenings in REM sleep
b awakenings within 8 minutes of end of REM sleep
c awakenings in non-REM sleep
d awakenings within 8 minutes of start of REM sleep
11 When were patients woken to see if dream content linked to eye movements
a 8 minutes after REM sleep finished
b after at least 1 minute of eye movement pattern
c after 5 minutes of eye movement pattern
d after 15 minutes of eye movement pattern
12 Which dream was recalled after mainly vertical eye movements
a no dreams recalled
b two people throwing tomatoes at each other
c talking to people
d standing at bottom of tall cliff looking up at climbers
13 Which dream was recalled after no eye movement
a climbing ladders
b fighting
c driving car
d throwing netballs
14 What did Dement and Kleitman conclude
a Dreams occur spontaneously on waking
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 8
b It is most likely that REM sleep is the only time we dream
c There is no link between REM sleep and dreaming
d Brain wave patterns dictate dream content
15 What was the conclusion about dreams recalled in non-REM sleep
a The EEG was faulty
b People do dream in non-REM sleep
c Awakenings were within 8 minutes of REM sleep therefore memory of REM dream
d Dreaming and REM sleep are not linked at all
16 How many participants did Dement and Kleitman study in detail
a 5
b 9
c 4
d 7
17 Which of these was not an independent variable
a the type of sleep REM or non-REM
b the time asleep 5 or 15 minutes
c the pattern of eye movement
d the dream content
18 Which eye movement pattern gave a dream recall of two people throwing tomatoes
a mainly vertical
b mainly horizontal
c no eye movement
d random eye movements
19 Which length of REM sleep were participants most accurate in assessing
a 15 minutes
b 5 minutes
c 10 minutes
d All the same
20 What does an EMG measure
a brain waves
b eye movement
c muscle movement
d galvanic skin response
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 4
This was a lab experiment and the following equipment was used
Draw a line to correct part of diagram to show where electrodes were attached in order for experimenters to
monitor activity of muscle eye movement and brain activity
9 males + 2 females
No coffee or alcohol
From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep what does an electroencephalogram (EEG) record (2)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline one problem with using an EEG to investigate dreaming (2)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Participants
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electroculogram (EOG)
Electromyogram (EMG)
5 61
Describe the procedure in Dement amp Kleitman using the picture clues to help
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 5
Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses
Finding Conclusion
Hypothesis
1
Hypothesis
2
Hypothesis
3
Evaluation of Dement amp Kleitman Point ndash Example - Comment
Strengths Weaknesses
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 6
Test your Understanding of Dement amp Kleitman Multiple Choice
1 Which method was used by Dement and Kleitman
a laboratory experiment
b field experiment
c natural experiment
d quasi experiment
2 What was the design used by Dement and Kleitman
a independent measures design
b matched pairs design
c repeated measures design
d single-subject design
3 How did Dement and Kleitman ensure no researcher contact for dream recall
a spoke into tape recorder
b locked researcher in their room
c woke participants by bell
d had fully automated laboratory
4 Which substances were participants not allowed to have on the day of test
a sugar and caffeine
b alcohol and chocolate
c prescription drugs and caffeine
d caffeine and alcohol
5 Which was not a hypothesis
a Participants in REM sleep are more likely to recall dreams
b Participants will dream better without caffeine
c Participants woken after 5 or 15 minutes will be able to estimate dream length
d Eye movements will link to content of recalled dream
6 Which was one of the independent variables
a whether woken in REM or non-REM sleep
b whether male or female
c whether asleep or awake
d whether in lab or at home
7 Which one was a dependent variable
a estimate of length of dreaming
b whether brain wave patterns changed
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 7
c whether the participant woke up or not
d how long the participant slept for
8 How many participants
a 11 adults
b 9 adults
c 5 males
d 3 females
9 What was measured by machine in sleep lab
a muscle paralysis
b eye movement
c brain waves
d dreaming
10 Which had most dream recall
a awakenings in REM sleep
b awakenings within 8 minutes of end of REM sleep
c awakenings in non-REM sleep
d awakenings within 8 minutes of start of REM sleep
11 When were patients woken to see if dream content linked to eye movements
a 8 minutes after REM sleep finished
b after at least 1 minute of eye movement pattern
c after 5 minutes of eye movement pattern
d after 15 minutes of eye movement pattern
12 Which dream was recalled after mainly vertical eye movements
a no dreams recalled
b two people throwing tomatoes at each other
c talking to people
d standing at bottom of tall cliff looking up at climbers
13 Which dream was recalled after no eye movement
a climbing ladders
b fighting
c driving car
d throwing netballs
14 What did Dement and Kleitman conclude
a Dreams occur spontaneously on waking
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 8
b It is most likely that REM sleep is the only time we dream
c There is no link between REM sleep and dreaming
d Brain wave patterns dictate dream content
15 What was the conclusion about dreams recalled in non-REM sleep
a The EEG was faulty
b People do dream in non-REM sleep
c Awakenings were within 8 minutes of REM sleep therefore memory of REM dream
d Dreaming and REM sleep are not linked at all
16 How many participants did Dement and Kleitman study in detail
a 5
b 9
c 4
d 7
17 Which of these was not an independent variable
a the type of sleep REM or non-REM
b the time asleep 5 or 15 minutes
c the pattern of eye movement
d the dream content
18 Which eye movement pattern gave a dream recall of two people throwing tomatoes
a mainly vertical
b mainly horizontal
c no eye movement
d random eye movements
19 Which length of REM sleep were participants most accurate in assessing
a 15 minutes
b 5 minutes
c 10 minutes
d All the same
20 What does an EMG measure
a brain waves
b eye movement
c muscle movement
d galvanic skin response
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 5
Dement amp Kleitman had 3 hypotheses
Finding Conclusion
Hypothesis
1
Hypothesis
2
Hypothesis
3
Evaluation of Dement amp Kleitman Point ndash Example - Comment
Strengths Weaknesses
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 6
Test your Understanding of Dement amp Kleitman Multiple Choice
1 Which method was used by Dement and Kleitman
a laboratory experiment
b field experiment
c natural experiment
d quasi experiment
2 What was the design used by Dement and Kleitman
a independent measures design
b matched pairs design
c repeated measures design
d single-subject design
3 How did Dement and Kleitman ensure no researcher contact for dream recall
a spoke into tape recorder
b locked researcher in their room
c woke participants by bell
d had fully automated laboratory
4 Which substances were participants not allowed to have on the day of test
a sugar and caffeine
b alcohol and chocolate
c prescription drugs and caffeine
d caffeine and alcohol
5 Which was not a hypothesis
a Participants in REM sleep are more likely to recall dreams
b Participants will dream better without caffeine
c Participants woken after 5 or 15 minutes will be able to estimate dream length
d Eye movements will link to content of recalled dream
6 Which was one of the independent variables
a whether woken in REM or non-REM sleep
b whether male or female
c whether asleep or awake
d whether in lab or at home
7 Which one was a dependent variable
a estimate of length of dreaming
b whether brain wave patterns changed
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 7
c whether the participant woke up or not
d how long the participant slept for
8 How many participants
a 11 adults
b 9 adults
c 5 males
d 3 females
9 What was measured by machine in sleep lab
a muscle paralysis
b eye movement
c brain waves
d dreaming
10 Which had most dream recall
a awakenings in REM sleep
b awakenings within 8 minutes of end of REM sleep
c awakenings in non-REM sleep
d awakenings within 8 minutes of start of REM sleep
11 When were patients woken to see if dream content linked to eye movements
a 8 minutes after REM sleep finished
b after at least 1 minute of eye movement pattern
c after 5 minutes of eye movement pattern
d after 15 minutes of eye movement pattern
12 Which dream was recalled after mainly vertical eye movements
a no dreams recalled
b two people throwing tomatoes at each other
c talking to people
d standing at bottom of tall cliff looking up at climbers
13 Which dream was recalled after no eye movement
a climbing ladders
b fighting
c driving car
d throwing netballs
14 What did Dement and Kleitman conclude
a Dreams occur spontaneously on waking
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 8
b It is most likely that REM sleep is the only time we dream
c There is no link between REM sleep and dreaming
d Brain wave patterns dictate dream content
15 What was the conclusion about dreams recalled in non-REM sleep
a The EEG was faulty
b People do dream in non-REM sleep
c Awakenings were within 8 minutes of REM sleep therefore memory of REM dream
d Dreaming and REM sleep are not linked at all
16 How many participants did Dement and Kleitman study in detail
a 5
b 9
c 4
d 7
17 Which of these was not an independent variable
a the type of sleep REM or non-REM
b the time asleep 5 or 15 minutes
c the pattern of eye movement
d the dream content
18 Which eye movement pattern gave a dream recall of two people throwing tomatoes
a mainly vertical
b mainly horizontal
c no eye movement
d random eye movements
19 Which length of REM sleep were participants most accurate in assessing
a 15 minutes
b 5 minutes
c 10 minutes
d All the same
20 What does an EMG measure
a brain waves
b eye movement
c muscle movement
d galvanic skin response
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 6
Test your Understanding of Dement amp Kleitman Multiple Choice
1 Which method was used by Dement and Kleitman
a laboratory experiment
b field experiment
c natural experiment
d quasi experiment
2 What was the design used by Dement and Kleitman
a independent measures design
b matched pairs design
c repeated measures design
d single-subject design
3 How did Dement and Kleitman ensure no researcher contact for dream recall
a spoke into tape recorder
b locked researcher in their room
c woke participants by bell
d had fully automated laboratory
4 Which substances were participants not allowed to have on the day of test
a sugar and caffeine
b alcohol and chocolate
c prescription drugs and caffeine
d caffeine and alcohol
5 Which was not a hypothesis
a Participants in REM sleep are more likely to recall dreams
b Participants will dream better without caffeine
c Participants woken after 5 or 15 minutes will be able to estimate dream length
d Eye movements will link to content of recalled dream
6 Which was one of the independent variables
a whether woken in REM or non-REM sleep
b whether male or female
c whether asleep or awake
d whether in lab or at home
7 Which one was a dependent variable
a estimate of length of dreaming
b whether brain wave patterns changed
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 7
c whether the participant woke up or not
d how long the participant slept for
8 How many participants
a 11 adults
b 9 adults
c 5 males
d 3 females
9 What was measured by machine in sleep lab
a muscle paralysis
b eye movement
c brain waves
d dreaming
10 Which had most dream recall
a awakenings in REM sleep
b awakenings within 8 minutes of end of REM sleep
c awakenings in non-REM sleep
d awakenings within 8 minutes of start of REM sleep
11 When were patients woken to see if dream content linked to eye movements
a 8 minutes after REM sleep finished
b after at least 1 minute of eye movement pattern
c after 5 minutes of eye movement pattern
d after 15 minutes of eye movement pattern
12 Which dream was recalled after mainly vertical eye movements
a no dreams recalled
b two people throwing tomatoes at each other
c talking to people
d standing at bottom of tall cliff looking up at climbers
13 Which dream was recalled after no eye movement
a climbing ladders
b fighting
c driving car
d throwing netballs
14 What did Dement and Kleitman conclude
a Dreams occur spontaneously on waking
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 8
b It is most likely that REM sleep is the only time we dream
c There is no link between REM sleep and dreaming
d Brain wave patterns dictate dream content
15 What was the conclusion about dreams recalled in non-REM sleep
a The EEG was faulty
b People do dream in non-REM sleep
c Awakenings were within 8 minutes of REM sleep therefore memory of REM dream
d Dreaming and REM sleep are not linked at all
16 How many participants did Dement and Kleitman study in detail
a 5
b 9
c 4
d 7
17 Which of these was not an independent variable
a the type of sleep REM or non-REM
b the time asleep 5 or 15 minutes
c the pattern of eye movement
d the dream content
18 Which eye movement pattern gave a dream recall of two people throwing tomatoes
a mainly vertical
b mainly horizontal
c no eye movement
d random eye movements
19 Which length of REM sleep were participants most accurate in assessing
a 15 minutes
b 5 minutes
c 10 minutes
d All the same
20 What does an EMG measure
a brain waves
b eye movement
c muscle movement
d galvanic skin response
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 7
c whether the participant woke up or not
d how long the participant slept for
8 How many participants
a 11 adults
b 9 adults
c 5 males
d 3 females
9 What was measured by machine in sleep lab
a muscle paralysis
b eye movement
c brain waves
d dreaming
10 Which had most dream recall
a awakenings in REM sleep
b awakenings within 8 minutes of end of REM sleep
c awakenings in non-REM sleep
d awakenings within 8 minutes of start of REM sleep
11 When were patients woken to see if dream content linked to eye movements
a 8 minutes after REM sleep finished
b after at least 1 minute of eye movement pattern
c after 5 minutes of eye movement pattern
d after 15 minutes of eye movement pattern
12 Which dream was recalled after mainly vertical eye movements
a no dreams recalled
b two people throwing tomatoes at each other
c talking to people
d standing at bottom of tall cliff looking up at climbers
13 Which dream was recalled after no eye movement
a climbing ladders
b fighting
c driving car
d throwing netballs
14 What did Dement and Kleitman conclude
a Dreams occur spontaneously on waking
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 8
b It is most likely that REM sleep is the only time we dream
c There is no link between REM sleep and dreaming
d Brain wave patterns dictate dream content
15 What was the conclusion about dreams recalled in non-REM sleep
a The EEG was faulty
b People do dream in non-REM sleep
c Awakenings were within 8 minutes of REM sleep therefore memory of REM dream
d Dreaming and REM sleep are not linked at all
16 How many participants did Dement and Kleitman study in detail
a 5
b 9
c 4
d 7
17 Which of these was not an independent variable
a the type of sleep REM or non-REM
b the time asleep 5 or 15 minutes
c the pattern of eye movement
d the dream content
18 Which eye movement pattern gave a dream recall of two people throwing tomatoes
a mainly vertical
b mainly horizontal
c no eye movement
d random eye movements
19 Which length of REM sleep were participants most accurate in assessing
a 15 minutes
b 5 minutes
c 10 minutes
d All the same
20 What does an EMG measure
a brain waves
b eye movement
c muscle movement
d galvanic skin response
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 8
b It is most likely that REM sleep is the only time we dream
c There is no link between REM sleep and dreaming
d Brain wave patterns dictate dream content
15 What was the conclusion about dreams recalled in non-REM sleep
a The EEG was faulty
b People do dream in non-REM sleep
c Awakenings were within 8 minutes of REM sleep therefore memory of REM dream
d Dreaming and REM sleep are not linked at all
16 How many participants did Dement and Kleitman study in detail
a 5
b 9
c 4
d 7
17 Which of these was not an independent variable
a the type of sleep REM or non-REM
b the time asleep 5 or 15 minutes
c the pattern of eye movement
d the dream content
18 Which eye movement pattern gave a dream recall of two people throwing tomatoes
a mainly vertical
b mainly horizontal
c no eye movement
d random eye movements
19 Which length of REM sleep were participants most accurate in assessing
a 15 minutes
b 5 minutes
c 10 minutes
d All the same
20 What does an EMG measure
a brain waves
b eye movement
c muscle movement
d galvanic skin response
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 9
Core Studies Section A- Short Answer Questions
Identify one of the aims of the study by Dement amp Kleitman [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give two measures that the researchers made while their subjects were sleeping [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outline the sample used in the study [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Explain one problem with this sample [2 Marks] _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Intitials From the study by Dement amp Kleitman on sleep give four characteristics of REM sleep [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the study on sleep and dreaming by Dement and Kleitman it is suggested that Rapid Eye Movements (REM) only occur during dreaming Give one piece of evidence which supports this suggestion and one piece of evidence that challenges it [4 Marks] __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dement and Kleitman point out that dream recall from NREM was higher if the awakening occurred within eight minutes of the end of REM than if the awaking occurred later How did they explain this difference [2 Marks] ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outline another possible explanation for this difference [2marks )
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 10
Complete the following table on the METHODS used by physiological psychologists
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Can you complete the maze
How did you do it What
skills do you think you had to
use
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 11
1 Where is the hippocampus located Label the diagram Amygdala Temporal Lobe Hippocampus
What is each of these responsible for
2 How many hippocampi do humans and mammals have What is the connection with sea horses
3 What two functions is the hippocampus responsible for
4 What happens if the hippocampus is damaged
5 Give two examples of how we know that the hippocampus plays a part in navigation
6 What do you understand by the term bdquoneural plasticity‟
7 What is cognitive mapping
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 February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 12
Aim of Maguirersquos Study
Maguirersquos Participants
Maguirersquos Method and Design
Maguirersquos Conditions
Maguirersquos Independent variablesdependent variables
Maguirersquos Procedure
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 13
Maguirersquos Controls
Maguirersquos Results
Maguirersquos Conclusions
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 14
Evaluating Maguirersquos Study
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the Method Natural experiment + Correlation hellip
Is the sample representative Why Why not
Strengths amp Weaknesses of the data Quantitative
Do you think Maguirersquos study is useful If so why If not why not
Nature or nurture Which side does the study come down explain your reasons
Suggest 2 changes you could make to this study and
outline any methodological implications these changes might
have (8 marks)
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 15
Human elephant dolphin gorilla dog cat macaque mouse
Match the brains to the animals hellip
What is the corpus callosum and what does it do
What is a commisurotomy
What would happen if the corpus callosum is severed
(damaged)
Left hand Right hand
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from LEFT half
of body
The _______ side of the brain
processes info from RIGHT
half of body
Lateralization of function of the right and left hemispheres
C
O
N
T
A
L
A
T
E
R
A
L
Diagram 2
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 16
Number skills Art awareness Imagination written language
Right hand control Music Insight Reasoning
Left hand control spoken language 3-D forms
1 Label the apparatus diagram with as much detail as possible to represent the procedure and techniques used by Sperry Use the procedure on pg 86
LEFT
RIGHT
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 17
2 Findings from Visual Tests 2 Findings from Tactile (Touch) Tests
CONCLUSION
Sperry suggested that it may be less confusing if one thinks of split brain patients as two rather than one individual
Clearly one hemisphere does not know what the other hemisphere is doing
It is like two separate and rather uncoordinated individuals though patients could learn coping strategies in everyday life
What the study tells us
In right handed people the left hemisphere is dominant
Language is resident in the dominant side
Both sides have their own memories
Both sides can experience emotions
The non-dominant side can perform simple mathematics
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 18
Sperry Short Answer Questions
1 From the study by Sperry on split brains
(a) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the
brain [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely ldquoword
blindrdquo [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 (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 if people
with split brains [2]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 19
5 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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7 (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]
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 20
Choose one of the studies listed below and answer the following questions-
Maguire
Dement amp Kleitman
Sperry
1 What was the aim of your chosen study (2 marks)
2 Describe the method used in your chosen study and give one advantage of
using this method (3+3 marks)
3 Describe two ethical issues raised by your chosen study (3+3 marks)
4 With reference to your chosen study explain one reason why the
researcher(s) needed to break ethical guidelines and one reason why they
should not have done so (3+3 marks)
5 Suggest another way the data could have been collected in your chosen
study (8 marks)
6 Outline the implications of the changes you have suggested (8 marks)
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
Ch hellip chhellipchhellip changes hellip
You could be asked to make changes or improvements to the studies and to say what effect these changes might have on the result Try to complete the following table about the 3 studies in the social approach
Study What change would you make What would be the effect of the change
DEMENT amp KLEITMAN
MAGUIRE
SPERRY
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
In the Core Studies exam you could be asked a question on the Physiological
Approach in 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 explain dreams (4)
c) Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological
studies (6)
d) Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any
examples from physiological approach studies (12)
Task (b) What behaviours does the physiological approach explain
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dement amp Kleitman
Lab experiment
Looking at link between REM sleep amp dreams
First researchers to study this objectively
Sperry
Quasi or natural experiment
Investigating split brain patients after treatment for epilepsy
Groundbreaking information about localisation and lateralisation of brain function
Maguire
Lab experiment
Investigating neural plasticity in tax drivers
Differences in structure of hippocampus as a result of lsquothe knowledge
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 23
Task (c) Similarities amp Differences
Similarities Maguire Dement amp Kleitman Sperry
Maguire
Similarities Similarities
Dement amp Kleitman
Differences Similarities
Sperry
Differences Differences
Describe one similarity and one difference between any two physiological studies (6)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework
AS Psychology ndash Physiological Approach February 2010
Libby Hutt Page 24
Task (d) ndash Strengths amp Weaknesses of Physiological Approach hellip
Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the physiological approach using any examples from
physiological approach studies (12)
Point Example Comment
Paragraph 1 One strength is hellip
Paragraph 2 Another strength is hellip
Paragraph 3 One weakness is hellip
Paragraph 4 Another weakness is hellip
Strengths
1) Very scientific (all lab experiments) shows psychology as a hard science
2) Has practical implications 3) High degree of control using precise
measuring equipment 4) Fascinating insights into behaviour
offered 5) Contributes to our understanding of the
nature nurture debate
Weaknesses
1) Highly reductionist ndash human behaviour often more complex than these studies suggest
2) Ethics ndash labelling 3) Deterministic ndash individual not seen as
responsible for their own actions 4) Samples small ndash not representative 5) Lacks ecological validity 6) Brain imaging techniques rely ion new
technology which needs specialists
Try answering this question for homework