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Ways of Investigating the Brain 16 marker
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A*/A grade 16 mark model answer on ways of investigating the brain (AQA A-level Psychology)
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Ways of investigating the brain 16 markerStudying the brain allows us to gain important insights into our behaviour and mental
processes. For example, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures blood flow
(activity due to oxygen requirement) to different areas of the brain related to different
activities. Or electrocephalogram (EEG) which measures electrical activity over a period of
time indicating brain activity. Another scan is a event related potential (ERPs) which
measure small voltage changes in the brain in response to stimuli. Finally, post-mortem
examinations who study a person’s brain after death to understand behaviours whilst they
were alive.
fMRI scans are non-invasive so isn’t harmful to the patient and won’t lead to any damage.
However, the blood flow recorded isn’t a direct measure of brain activity as larger areas may
require more blood then in use smaller areas meaning causality is difficult to determine
decreasing validity of these scans.
EEG scans capture a recording of the brain not just individual still image pictures, which
shows how overtime brain activity changes. However, it only records superficial regions and
not deeper regions, of which hold some of the most important neural functioning. This
could lead to miss understanding or diagnosis decreasing validity of these scans.
ERP scans processing can be manipulated by experimental methods which can show
causality between a stimulus and a brain activity. But only strong changes are picked up
which means some of the smaller but more important changes could be missed so lowering
validity.
Post-mortem examinations the person must not be alive and comes with the assumption
that any later life drugs that may have been used don’t influence the brain processing so the
brain may appear different to when behavioural issues occurred in their life. However, it
does provide a more detailed in-depth explanation for their behaviour which couldn’t have
been achieved during their life.
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