Brain and Behaviour
Decision Making
Brain and Emotion
Hormones
Varia
100
What part of the brain regulates our impulsive actions?
Prefrontal cortex
100
What are the two types of processing called?
System one and system two (also sometimes called type one and type two)
100
What part of the brain is the "emotional centre?"
The amydala
100
What is the name of the system of glands in the body that release hormones?
Endocrine system.
100
What two areas of the brain are most studied in criminology?
The amygdala and the prefrontal cortex.
200
Veterans from what war have been studied in the USA for the past 40 years?
Vietnam War (or the American War as it's called in Vietnam)
200
What is the name of the task used in Bechara et al.'s study on vmPFC lesion patients?
Iowa Gambling Task
200
What gland in the endocrine system releases stress hormones during the fight/flight response?
Adrenal gland (the pituitary is a gland, but it only sends the signal to the adrenal gland)
200

Describe at least 2 conditions of Albert study.

Castration, fake castration (placebo), castration + testosterone tubes, castration + tubes without testosterone

200

Name at least 2 dependent variables from Cohen's series of experiment.

Distance from "big guy", testosterone level, cortisol level, vignette scenario ending

300
What machine is used to locate the area of brain damage of veterans so researchers can compare groups?
MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging)
300
What are three characteristics of system two processing?
Slow, conscious, based on logic, rational, based on consequences, controlled
300
What three tests did Feinstein et al. conduct on SM to measure her fear?
Haunted house, pet store and observing scary clips
300

How did Radke et al. manipulate testosterone levels?

With liquid

300
What specific type of aggression has been the focus of explanations in this unit?
Reactive, impulsive aggression. This means reacting to a threat and the reaction is done with little thought. It's different to other displays of aggression, like premeditated aggression.
400

What was the biological explanation of Charles Whitman's behaviour?

Brain tumor in the amygdala region

400
What was specific/original about Kahneman's studies of human judgement? Give one example.

He used simple "this or that" questions (puzzles), e.g. are there more such male farmers or librarians in the US.

400
Why does SM have damaged amygdalae?
From a rare genetic condition.
400
How do we know from Radke et al.'s study that testosterone influences the brain in response to social threat, and not just in response to other people?
It only impacted the amygdala when viewing the angry faces, not the faces with other emotions.
400

Give two reasons why culture of honor was developed in the South US and not North US.

Farming/herding economy, weak institutions/law enforcement

500

What happened to Phineas Gage and what were the consequences?

Metal rod went through his brain (prefrontal) and led to corresponding psychological changes in personality and behaviour.

500

What characteristic of system two processing were the vmPFC patients NOT demonstrating in the gambling game in Bechara et al.'s study?

An ability to process information (and make decisions) based on consequences - they were unable to learn from their mistakes.

500
Describe the process of releasing stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) in response to perceiving a threat. There are four specific glands and parts of the brain you must mention (A, H, P, A)
The amygala perceives the threat, sends a signal to the hypothalamus, which signals the pituitary gland, which signals the adrenal gland and stress hormones are released.
500
Why can we not use Radke et al.'s study to explain the actions of a serial killer who murders innocent victims?
Radke et al.'s experiment measures testosterone's activity in the brain in response to social threat - the angry face - and when we're motivated to deal with that threat. In the serial killer scenario, if someone is innocent they're unlikely to be a threat to the killer - in other words, the murder is unprovoked.
500

What are my cats' names (again)?

Bobik and Bandzior