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48 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the four priciples that define BLOA?
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1) All mental processes and behaviours are due to activity in the nervous or hormone system. 2) Research done on non-human animals can increase our understanding of human behaviour 3) Patterns of behaviour can be inherited 4) Patterns of behaviour are influenced by evolutionary processes |
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Explain the principle: "All mental processes are due to activity in the nervous or hormone system"
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The nervous system can be divided in two main parts: Central nevous system (CNS) and the Peripheral nervous system (PNS). The main compnenets of CNS are the brain and the spinal cord, the PNS consists of mainly nerves. Hormones are transported through the blood and stimulate certain cells to effect human behaviour. |
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What study connects to the principle: "All mental processes are due to activity in the nervous and hormone system" and how?
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Fischer. fMRIs showed a more active dopamine network amongst the participants being showed pictures of loved ones.
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Give AMRE of the Fischer study. |
The aim was to investigate the levels of neurotransmission of dopamine in the early stages of romantic love. 17 participants from a University in New York were recruited, they had an average of 7 month long relationships. Participants were asked to provide a picture of their SO, a fmaily member and an emotionally neutral aquaintnance. Partcipants were shown the pictures in randomised order while being scanned by the fMRI machines, and asked to countback between each image to distract. Results showed an increase in the activity of the dopamine network when partcipants were shown pictures of their SO. Therefore, earlystages of romantic love are highly connected to our reward system (Dopamine). In contrary to common belief, love is NOT feeling euphoria, anxiety and wanting - the study concludes that it is the activation of the dopamine based reward system that leads to these emotions.
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Explain the principle: "Research done on non-human animals can help us understand human behaviour"
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Some parts of the human brain are similar to non.human animals' brain. These parts are mostly the 'old' parts of the brain such as the Amygdela and the Hippocampus, because evolutionarily we had the same. Due to this, using animals such as rats in research can help us understand human behaviour.
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What study connects to the principle: "Research done on non-human animals can help us understand human behaviour"
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Meany 2001. The study shows how by studying the effects of increasing or decreasing the levels of oxytocin on non-human animals (rats), the results can lead to an understanding which can be applied to human behaviour as well, without having to unethically test it on humans.
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Give AMRE for the Meany 2001 study.
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The aim of the study was to investigate the role of Oxytocin levels on mothering behaviour in rat mothers. Rat mothers with high and low mothering behaviours were observed. Some rats with high mothering behaviour were given oxytocin blocking drugs (which subsequently made them act less motherly), while some rats with low mothering behaviours were given oxytocin (and made them more motherly). At the end the rats' brains were disected to check the number of oxytocin receptors they had on their neuron dendrites in different parts of their brain. Rats who initially had higher mothering instincs showed to have more than double the receptors than those with lower mothering behaviour. Since doing the same research on humans would be considered unethical to show the same results could apply on humans mothers' level of oxytocin in their blood was tested and results showed a positive corrolation to Meanys' results.
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Explain the principle: "Patterns of behaviour can be inherited"
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The more a behaviour helps to survive the more likely it is that this behavior appears in subsequent generations, this can be due to genes. This is called 'Behavioral genetics' or 'Traits genetics' because it studies the way our genes can shape our personality.
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What study connects to the principle: "Patterns of behaviour can be inherited"
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Bouchard. It connects to the principle as it records the IQ of twins raised together and apart, and shows that the IQ of twins raised apart had almost the same IQ. By doing this it proves that there must be some sort of genetic component which can be inherited and that it is NOT all due to nurture, but rather nature plays a big role.
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Give AMRE of the Bouchard study.
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The aim was to investigate the role of shared environment, unique environment and genetics on psychological traits. Monozygotic twins which had either been raised together (MZT) or apart (MZA) were recruited through advertisement. Both groups of twins were put through a variety of psychologucal tests (IQ, questionnaires regarding political views etc.). The results were then measured between 0-1 to indicate the level of concordance, and then compared to the other group of twins. For a large number of the psychological tests the results were euqal for the MZT and the MZA groups, with the highest concordance in IQ. This is showed that shared environment had a low influence on behaviour, while personal envornment and genetics played a bigger role in shaping behaviour of the individual.
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Explain the principle: "Patterns of behaviour are influenced by evolutionary processes"
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In the past natural selection created a 'survival of the fittest' environment, which led to benificial characteristics being passed on the subsequent generation and pass on the favorable genes for the particular behaviour.
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What study connects to the principle: "Patterns of behaviour are influeced by evolutionary processes"
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Buss. In the study we can see the differences between male and female partner preferences. Men being more open to casual sex than women, which can be connected to the Parental Investment theory. This shows that the behaviour of women has been influenced by evolutionary processes which teaches them that theres more investment in the possible consequences of casual sex for them than there is for men.
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Give AMRE for the Buss study.
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The aim was to investigate the universal differences in female and male partner preferences. Almost 10 000 participants from all over the world were asked to fill in questionnaire where they were asked to rate the importance (from 1-3) of different characterists that their SO should have. Results were then organised in order from 1-13 from the most important to least important characteristic for females and males. Although some slight differences were observed in the results within each sex depending on the cultures of the partcipants, the main finding remained that in all countries men give more importance to physical features, while women to ambition. In countries where polygamy was practiced the sex differences were even more reinforced. Buss concluded that there is a universal sex difference in mate selection and that this supports the evolutionary theory of mate selection.
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Exaplain the "Parental investment theory".
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The theory claims that men are more open to sex and multiple reproduction than women, because they don't need to put in as much effort (less time investment), because they have the ability of large reproduction and their longterm sexual ability.
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What study connects to the "Parental investment theory"
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Buss and Clark and Hatfield
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Give AMRE for the Clark and Hatfield study.
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The aim of the study was to test whether men are more open to casual sex than women. Female and male participants from a University in Florida were approached by average attractive person of the opposite sex and asked (only one codition per partcipant) if they wanted to go out tonight, wanted to go to their apartment that night, or have sex with them that night. Results showed that men accepted the apartment and sex request nearly all the time while women none of the time, while the date request was accepted nearly equally amount of times. However Clark and Hafield evaluated their own study by saying that we do not know why the women declined or why the men accepted (it could be due to social expectations), the sample was also very limiting as it only included University students (age and backgroud did not vary), for every man that is having casual sex with a woman there is a woman having casual sex with a man so statistically there is the same amount. |
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How and why is the Experimental research method used in BLOA? (Example 1 study)
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Klinesmith. In this study the research method was used in order to eliminate unwanted variables. It was used when splitting the participants into the two seperate groups with different variables.
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Give AMRE for the Klinesmith study.
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the aim was to test whether Testoterone acted as a mediator between guns and agression. Saliva samples were taken from each participant. Participants were then given a task to either reassemble a realistic looking machine gun or Childrens game. Then a second saliva sample was taken. the partcipants were then handed a glass with a drop of hot sauce, they were told it had been prepared for them by the previous participant and asked to rate how spicy they found it. They were then told they could prepare a glass for the next participant for however much hot sauce they wanted, the amount they added was then recorded. Results showed a greater increase in testosterone amongst participants who handled the gun, furthermore these participants were also more likely to add a greater amount of hot sauce in the water. The researchers therefore concluded that agression increases when handling a gun, and that this increase in a gression is due to the increase in testosterone.
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What is an Experiement and what are its strenghts and weaknesses? |
In Experiments the researchers can manipulate the independent variable and allocate participants to specific groups. They show clear cause and effect, however they often break ethical considerations. |
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How and why is the Independent Group Design research method used in BLOA? (Example 1 study)
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Meany 2001. The independent groupd design was used since the rats had to be observed in order to see which had more mothering behaviour, and which less. They are not groups allocated by the researcher but rather pre-set groups.
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What is an Independent Group Design and what are its strenghts and weaknesses?
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In independent group design each participant is assigned ONE condition. There is no risk for order effect and less risk for demand characteristics however there may be pre-existing group differences and it requires a larger sample of participants. |
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What is a Laboratory experiment and what are its strenghts and weaknesses?
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Laboratory experiments take place in an artificial environment. Since the conditions are very controlled the confounding variables are low however the artificial envornment gives it low external validity and there is a high risk for demand characteristics.
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What is a Field experiment and what are its strenghts and weaknesses?
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A field experiment takes place in a natural environment, this gives it high external validity however it also makes it hard for the researchers to take into consideration every variable and could result in breaking ethical considerations.
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What is repeated measure design and what are its strenghts and weaknesses?
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In repeated measure design participants go through several conditions. There is no risk a pre-existing group differences and it requires a smaller sample, however there might be order effects (which can be minimised by counter balancing) and there is a higher risk of demand characteristics.
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What is a Quasi-experiement and what are its strenghts and weaknesses?
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Quasi-experiments involve partcipants who are not divided into groups by the researchers but rather by some other pre-existing variable (gender, sex etc). The researchers do not control the independent variable. There is no problem regarding ethical considerations however it rarely shows a clear cause and effect, and has higher risk of Third factor influece and bi-directionability.
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What is a Case Study and what are its strenghts and weaknesses?
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A case study focuses on a single participant who is cross examined using a different variety of methods. Its great to get information about rare cases however can be hard to generalise. |
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How and why is the Quasi-experiement research method used in BLOA? (Example 1 study)
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Turkheimer or Bouchard. In the Turkheimer study the particpants were not divided into their groups but rather they were recruited within the groups (wether they were identical or fraternal twins.)
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Give examples of Ethical considerations relevant to the BLOA.
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Meany studies: Is it more ethical to use animals to save humans? Klinesmith: Good confidentiality, but deception. |
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Explain the effects of neurotrasmission on human behaviour in the Fischer study.
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The increase of activity in the dopamine network showed to have high corrolation to partcipants looking at loved ones.
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Explain the effects of neurotrasmission on human behaviour in the Meany 2001 study.
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An increase in Oxytocin, and more oxytocin receptors on the neuron dendrites showed to increase motherly behaviours.
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Explain the function of Testosterone on human bahaviour. |
Testosterone is a hormone responsible sperm production, sex drive, strenght and much more. It is present mostly in males, but partly in females aswell. According to Klinesmith Testosterone can affect human behaviour in making an individual more aggressive.
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What is brain plasticity? |
Its the brains' ability to change physically, functionally and chemically throughout life. Can be caused by Changes in environment, emotions behaviour and injuries. (ex. a blind person developing other senses.) |
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Explain how in the Meany 1998-2007 the environment had an effect on two physiological processes.
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It effected the GABA receptors and the Hippocampus. Pups who had recieved better nurturing from mothers (the environment) developed more GABA receptors which made them more brave and indipendent. Furthermore they also had a more developed neurons in their hippocampus. This made it easier for them to learn things such as how to get through a maze.
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Give AMRE for the Meany 1998-2007 study.
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The aim was to see how mothering behaviour levels influeced brain, social and cognitive developemnt in rat pups. Mothers were observed and divided into two groups, high mothering behaviour (H) or low (L). Their pups were then either given to different mother, either with the same mothering behaviour (HH, LL) or with the opposite (HL, LH). Results showed that pups who at some point recieved higher mothering behaviour had developed more GABA receptors (which decresed the level of activity in the amygdela and made them more curious and brave) and more developed neurons in the hippocampus. They were also able to navigate mazes faster (cognitive), and were more brave due to a lessa ctive amygdela (social development).
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How does the Adolphs study use brain imaging Technologies to investigate the relationship between biological factors and behaviour?
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In the Adolphs study CT Scans were neccesary to see the damage on the participants' amygdela in order to prove that the lesions (biological factor) were responsible for the difference in behaviour (loss of long term emotional memory)
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How does the Fischer study use brain imaging Technologies to investigate the relationship between biological factors and behaviour?
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In the Fischer study the fMRI was neccesary to see the change in levels of dopamine (biological factor) to study its' correlation to the participants behaviour.
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How does the Bennett study use brain imaging Technologies to investigate the relationship between biological factors and behaviour?
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The Bennet study criticises the use of brain imaging Technologies by showing how they can be innacurate and not have any correlation to the participants' behaviour.
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Give AMRE of the Adolphs study.
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The aim of the Adolphs study was to investigate whether the amygdela is responsible for the formation of long-term memories of emotional events. Two sibling patients with damaged amygdelas were shown slideshows that portrayed a story, some slides were highly emotional. After 24 hours the participants, alongside 6 control group participants, were asked to rate how emotional the story was and recall details from each slide by answering a multiple choice questionnaire. Results showed that participants rated the story equally emotional as the control group however differed greatly in the amount of details they could recall from the emotional slides. The partcipants could recall under 50% of the emtional slides, while the control group up to almost 90%.
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Give AMRE of the Bennett study. |
The aim was to test the accuracy of brain scanning technologies. Bennett purchased a dead salmon and under an fMRI asked it to look at pictures of humans. He then asked the salmon to consider what emotions the humans in the pictures were feeling. The fMRI showed activity in the dead salmons' brain, proving that there can be false positives when using brain imagining techonologies and that researchers must be aware of that.
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What are the strenghts and limitations of brain imagining Technologies? |
Limitations: conducted in artificial Environment whihc may influece participants mood, hard and expensive to replicate or review results, occasional false positives as shown by Bennett |
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Give AMRE for the Turkheimer study.
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The aim of the Turkheimer study was to investigate whether heredability of intelligence was equal in all socio-economic classes. Turkheimer found IQ tests of 320 7 years olds, out of which many had a low socio-economic backgroud. He used corrolation to see whether there was a difference in heredability of intelligence between mono-zygotic twins and di-zygotic in both higher and lower socio-economic classes. Results showed that mono-zygotic twins in a lower socio-economic class had as much corrolation in IQ as the di-zygotic twins did in general (close to 0). Turkheimer concluded that while there must be a genetic component in the hereditability of IQ (as shown by the 0.6 correlation in mono-zygotic twins of high socio-economic classes) the impact of a less stimulating/more chaotic environment does not allow for the genetic potential to be expressed.
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How does the Turkheimer study show the extent to which genetic inheritance can influence behaviour?
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It shows that environment plays a big role in the extent the potential of the genetic inheritance is manifested.
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How does the Bouchard study show the extent to which genetic inheritance can influence behaviour?
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Within the same socio-economic group Bouchard shows that genetic inheritance has a strong correlation to IQ |
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What is inter- and intra- sexual selection? |
Intersexual selection is how within the same species the two different sex decide who to mate with.
Intrasexual selection is how members of a specie of the same sex compete for the opposite sex. |
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How does the Buss study show one evolutionary explanation of behavior? |
Buss shows that due to parental investment theory (evolutionary explanation) male and females have different and coherent expectations and preferences on what their partner should be like.
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How does the Clark and Hatfield study show one evolutionary explanation of behavior? |
In the Clark and Hatfield study parental investment theory is used as a evolutionary explanation as to why men are more likely to agree to casual sex than women.
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Give AMRE for the Eagly and Wood study.
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Eagly and Wood claimed that the results of the Buss study were invalid. They stated that they believed that the coherence in the results was due to an overall male-dominated culture in the countries taken into account, and that this culture was responsible for the results and not evolutionary factors. When re-examined they infact saw that in more gender equal societies the answers varied less between male and females, however even then there was a significantly higher preference for "physical attraction" amongst men than women.
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