Neuroplasticity
What does neuroplasticity mean?
The brain’s ability to change, reorganise, and form new connections in response to learning, experience, or injury
What is an enriched environment?
An environment that provides cognitive, physical, and social stimulation.
What is a deprived environment?
An environment lacking stimulation (social, cognitive, or sensory).
Who is Genie Wiley?
Genie was a girl severely isolated and abused, discovered in 1970 at age 13.
Why are animal studies often used in research on enriched and deprived environments?
Animal studies allow controlled manipulation of environments (enriched vs deprived), which is unethical to impose on humans.
Name one situation where the brain demonstrates neuroplasticity
learning a new skill, recovery after brain injury, changes from practicing music/sport
Give one example of an enriched environment for a child.
Example: access to books, play, rich language exposure, social interaction.
Name one possible consequence of growing up in a deprived environment.
Delays in language, memory, emotional regulation, or cognitive development.
Which cognitive skill did Genie struggle to develop, even after intervention?
She struggled to fully acquire language (especially grammar and syntax).
Give one classroom strategy that helps create an enriched learning environment.
Examples: collaborative learning, inquiry-based tasks, access to diverse resources, interactive classrooms
Which part of the brain is most associated with higher-order cognitive plasticity?
The cerebral cortex (especially frontal and temporal lobes)
How does an enriched environment influence brain development?
Increases synaptic density, improves problem-solving, strengthens memory, enhances learning.
How can deprivation affect language development?
Lack of stimulation during critical periods limits language acquisition (e.g., limited vocabulary or grammar).
How did Genie’s case illustrate the concept of a “critical period” in development?
Shows the importance of the critical period for language development — after this, language learning is extremely limited.
How does understanding neuroplasticity influence approaches to teaching and learning?
Teachers can design learning activities that strengthen neural connections; repetition, challenge, and feedback enhance plasticity.
Explain the difference between functional and structural plasticity
Functional plasticity = brain reallocates functions to undamaged areas.
Structural plasticity = physical change in neurons (e.g., growth of dendrites/synapses).
Explain how enriched environments link to Vygotsky’s theory of learning
Vygotsky = scaffolding/social interaction enriches learning context
Give one real-world example of cognitive deprivation.
Examples: institutionalised children, extreme neglect, isolation.
Why is Genie’s case both important and controversial in psychology?
Important because it provided rare insight into deprivation; controversial due to ethical concerns and exploitation of Genie.
Explain how social interaction plays a role in shaping brain development.
Social interaction builds language, problem-solving, and cognitive skills (aligns with Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory).
Evaluate how neuroplasticity supports recovery from brain injury
The brain can rewire pathways and recruit new regions, which supports rehabilitation (though recovery may be incomplete)
Discuss one research finding from animal studies (e.g., Rosenzweig & Bennett) that supports the impact of enriched environments.
Rosenzweig & Bennett (1972) – rats in enriched environments had thicker cortices and more synaptic connections than deprived rats.
Critique one limitation of using case studies of deprivation to generalise findings.
Case studies lack generalisability, may be influenced by unique personal circumstances, and raise ethical issues.
Evaluate the ethical issues related to the Genie Wiley case study.
Ethical issues: informed consent (Genie couldn’t consent), exploitation by researchers, lack of consistent care, long-term wellbeing neglected.
Apply the concept of neuroplasticity to rehabilitation for someone recovering from a stroke.
Neuroplasticity underpins rehabilitation — e.g., stroke patients relearn motor/language skills by training undamaged areas of the brain.