Can we use behavioural data to test cognitive theories?
Yes. We need to specify how unobservable abstract constructs (such as memory) determine observable behaviour.
What are the advantages and disadvantages to naturalistic observation?
advantages:
natural setting
disadvantages:
little control over the environment
difficult to determine cause or even relation
limited measurement
danger of experimenter reactivity
What are the advantages and disadvantages to a case study?
advantages:
unique opportunity
detailed and thorough
disadvantages:
poor representativeness
low external validity
difficult to replicate
danger of experimenter bias
What are the advantages and disadvantages to a self reports?
advantages:
easy collection of lots of data
disadvantages:
reliability
sampling bias
What are the advantages and disadvantages to observe/measure two or more variables in relational research
advantages:
reliable and replicable data
can investigate variables one cannot manipulate
disadvantages:
cannot draw conclusions about causation
popular variables we cannot manipulate:
�gender, age, native language, ethnicity, handedness, personality
What are the advantages and disadvantages to experimental research where we manipulate one or more variables and observe/measure one or more other variables?
advantages:
reliable and replicable data
can infer causation
disadvantages:
sample representativeness
ecological validity
some variables are impossible / difficult / unethical to manipulate
What is an independent variable?
manipulated
�within and between subject IVs
What is a dependant variable?
measured
the key feature of the experimental method
the key feature of the experimental method is..
Random assignment
what is the "main effect"?
�change in one IV leads to change in the DV
�to determine whether there is a main effect of a given IV -average over the other IV(s)
what is an interaction between variables?
is the effect of one IV on the DV different for the various levels of the other IV(s)?
�two-way interaction: the main effect of one IV on the DV is affected by changes in a second IV
�three-way interaction: the interaction between two IVs is affected by c
Can we use data from patients with brain damage to test cognitive theories?
Yes. Most useful in localization of function.
the central nervous system consists of..
1.brain
cerebrum= two hemispheres, four lobes each
cerebellum
brainstem= medula+ pons+ midbrain
2.spinal cord
what three structures are in the brainstem?
medula+ pons+ midbrain
what types of damage are there in neuropsychology area wise?
diffuse: AD, PD, MS, HIV encephalitis
localized: stroke, HSE, HD
focal: could be the result of brain surgery, penetrating head injury, tumor, some cases of stroke
*problem: truly focal lesions are rare!
what are three ways to know where the damage is in neuropsychology?
post-mortem autopsy
�brain surgery (e.g. split-brain patients)
�structural brain scans: CT, MRI
explain dissociation
If area Xsupports cognitive function F, then if Xis damaged, Fshould be impaired.
what are the advantages to dissociation?
advantages:
straight-forward
easy to apply and understand
what are the disadvantages to dissociation
disadvantages:
difficult to pinpoint area X
difficult to narrow down function F
difficult to rule out task difficulty as a factor
possibility of a disconnection syndrome
flawed logic -there may be cases of damaged Xbut normal Fand/or there may be cases of
what is single dissociation?
�pattern: damage to area Ximpairs F1.
�conclusion: Area Xsupports cognitive function
what is double dissociation?
pattern: damage to area Ximpairs F1but not F2; damage to area Yimpairs F2but not F1.
conclusion: Area Xsupports cognitive function F1while area Ysupports cognitive function F2.
what are the advantages and disadvantages to double dissociation?
advantages:
more powerful than single dissociation
can rule out task difficulty as a factor
disadvantages:
same as for single dissociation, other than the task difficulty explanation
what is association?
�If area Xsupports cognitive functions F1 andF2, then if Xis damaged, both F1 andF2should be impaired.
what are the advantages of association?
advantages:
relies on more than a single patient
can be used with a single patient too:
longitudinal studies
item consistency across tasks
what are the disadvantages to association?
disadvantages:
requires a case series!
the possibility of separate but neighbouring modules
insufficient by itself
what is the difference in aims between neuropsychology and neuroimaging?
neuropsychology
�given a particular brain lesion, compares performance on a variety of tasks to detect domains of cognitive impairment
�aims to establish areas of the brain necessaryfor a particular function or task
neuroimaging
�given a set of tasks, com
what are the four defining properties of science?
1. empirical
2. solvable
3. verifiable
4. falsifiable
what are the three steps in the scientific approach to the mind?
theories, predictions, data
what are the three behavioural methods?
1. descriptive
2. relational
3. experimental
whats the difference between ecological validity and external validity?
Ecological validity is the extend to which an experiment can be considered representative of the real life situation. External validity is the extent to which the study can be related to other people in other places and other times.
Validity, in general,
what is an example of double dissociation?
A good well-known example of double dissociation comes from language. The patients described by Broca had damage to the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and had impaired speech production but good speech comprehension, whereas the patients described by W
what is an example of association?
damage to the anterior lateral aspects of the temporal lobes in patients with herpes simplex encephalitis leads to impaired conceptual knowledge as well as impaired naming, thus these patients - when given a picture, for example - have difficulty defining
what is the difference between association and dissociation?
In dissociation, you are looking to find a function that is impaired and another one (or many) which is (are) NOT impaired.
In contrast, in association, you are looking to find multiple functions that are impaired together (i.e. as a result of damage to a
how do you find out if there is a main effect on # of items
So when you want to know whether there is a main effect of # of items, you need to bring the data down to a SINGLE LINE; you do this by averaging the red and blue data points at each level of # of items.. If the resulting line is flat, then there is no ma
how do you find out if there is a main effect of cue type?
when you want to know whether there is a main effect of cue type, you need to ignore the x-axis and bring the data down to TWO POINTS; you do this by averaging all the red data points together and all the blue data points together. If the resulting two po
Can we use behavioural data to test cognitive theories?
Yes. We need to specify how unobservable abstract constructs (such as memory) determine observable behaviour.
What are the advantages and disadvantages to naturalistic observation?
advantages:
natural setting
disadvantages:
little control over the environment
difficult to determine cause or even relation
limited measurement
danger of experimenter reactivity
What are the advantages and disadvantages to a case study?
advantages:
unique opportunity
detailed and thorough
disadvantages:
poor representativeness
low external validity
difficult to replicate
danger of experimenter bias
What are the advantages and disadvantages to a self reports?
advantages:
easy collection of lots of data
disadvantages:
reliability
sampling bias
What are the advantages and disadvantages to observe/measure two or more variables in relational research
advantages:
reliable and replicable data
can investigate variables one cannot manipulate
disadvantages:
cannot draw conclusions about causation
popular variables we cannot manipulate:
�gender, age, native language, ethnicity, handedness, personality
What are the advantages and disadvantages to experimental research where we manipulate one or more variables and observe/measure one or more other variables?
advantages:
reliable and replicable data
can infer causation
disadvantages:
sample representativeness
ecological validity
some variables are impossible / difficult / unethical to manipulate
What is an independent variable?
manipulated
�within and between subject IVs
What is a dependant variable?
measured
the key feature of the experimental method
the key feature of the experimental method is..
Random assignment
what is the "main effect"?
�change in one IV leads to change in the DV
�to determine whether there is a main effect of a given IV -average over the other IV(s)
what is an interaction between variables?
is the effect of one IV on the DV different for the various levels of the other IV(s)?
�two-way interaction: the main effect of one IV on the DV is affected by changes in a second IV
�three-way interaction: the interaction between two IVs is affected by c
Can we use data from patients with brain damage to test cognitive theories?
Yes. Most useful in localization of function.
the central nervous system consists of..
1.brain
cerebrum= two hemispheres, four lobes each
cerebellum
brainstem= medula+ pons+ midbrain
2.spinal cord
what three structures are in the brainstem?
medula+ pons+ midbrain
what types of damage are there in neuropsychology area wise?
diffuse: AD, PD, MS, HIV encephalitis
localized: stroke, HSE, HD
focal: could be the result of brain surgery, penetrating head injury, tumor, some cases of stroke
*problem: truly focal lesions are rare!
what are three ways to know where the damage is in neuropsychology?
post-mortem autopsy
�brain surgery (e.g. split-brain patients)
�structural brain scans: CT, MRI
explain dissociation
If area Xsupports cognitive function F, then if Xis damaged, Fshould be impaired.
what are the advantages to dissociation?
advantages:
straight-forward
easy to apply and understand
what are the disadvantages to dissociation
disadvantages:
difficult to pinpoint area X
difficult to narrow down function F
difficult to rule out task difficulty as a factor
possibility of a disconnection syndrome
flawed logic -there may be cases of damaged Xbut normal Fand/or there may be cases of
what is single dissociation?
�pattern: damage to area Ximpairs F1.
�conclusion: Area Xsupports cognitive function
what is double dissociation?
pattern: damage to area Ximpairs F1but not F2; damage to area Yimpairs F2but not F1.
conclusion: Area Xsupports cognitive function F1while area Ysupports cognitive function F2.
what are the advantages and disadvantages to double dissociation?
advantages:
more powerful than single dissociation
can rule out task difficulty as a factor
disadvantages:
same as for single dissociation, other than the task difficulty explanation
what is association?
�If area Xsupports cognitive functions F1 andF2, then if Xis damaged, both F1 andF2should be impaired.
what are the advantages of association?
advantages:
relies on more than a single patient
can be used with a single patient too:
longitudinal studies
item consistency across tasks
what are the disadvantages to association?
disadvantages:
requires a case series!
the possibility of separate but neighbouring modules
insufficient by itself
what is the difference in aims between neuropsychology and neuroimaging?
neuropsychology
�given a particular brain lesion, compares performance on a variety of tasks to detect domains of cognitive impairment
�aims to establish areas of the brain necessaryfor a particular function or task
neuroimaging
�given a set of tasks, com
what are the four defining properties of science?
1. empirical
2. solvable
3. verifiable
4. falsifiable
what are the three steps in the scientific approach to the mind?
theories, predictions, data
what are the three behavioural methods?
1. descriptive
2. relational
3. experimental
whats the difference between ecological validity and external validity?
Ecological validity is the extend to which an experiment can be considered representative of the real life situation. External validity is the extent to which the study can be related to other people in other places and other times.
Validity, in general,
what is an example of double dissociation?
A good well-known example of double dissociation comes from language. The patients described by Broca had damage to the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and had impaired speech production but good speech comprehension, whereas the patients described by W
what is an example of association?
damage to the anterior lateral aspects of the temporal lobes in patients with herpes simplex encephalitis leads to impaired conceptual knowledge as well as impaired naming, thus these patients - when given a picture, for example - have difficulty defining
what is the difference between association and dissociation?
In dissociation, you are looking to find a function that is impaired and another one (or many) which is (are) NOT impaired.
In contrast, in association, you are looking to find multiple functions that are impaired together (i.e. as a result of damage to a
how do you find out if there is a main effect on # of items
So when you want to know whether there is a main effect of # of items, you need to bring the data down to a SINGLE LINE; you do this by averaging the red and blue data points at each level of # of items.. If the resulting line is flat, then there is no ma
how do you find out if there is a main effect of cue type?
when you want to know whether there is a main effect of cue type, you need to ignore the x-axis and bring the data down to TWO POINTS; you do this by averaging all the red data points together and all the blue data points together. If the resulting two po