A very common question that is asked is to ‘Discuss ethical considerations with research into….’ A very common, but incorrect, way to answer this is to think of the most unethical study you can, and blast away at it! Instead, re-read the question, which is asking about ethical considerations, in other words ‘What do researchers need to consider when planning … Read More
Planning for questions on research methods
Exam questions about research methods are very common Discuss one or more research methods used to investigate the relationship between the brain and behaviour. Evaluate one or more research methods used to study the interaction between technologies and cognitive processes. Contrast two research methods used to investigate cultural origins of behaviour and cognition. To what extent can any one research … Read More
Antagonists – what do they do?
Antagonists are any chemicals that fit into receptor sites on the post-synaptic neuron, inhibiting the neuron from firing. Well-known antagonists for serotonin, which we looked at in the previous blog post, are anti-psychotic drugs like Clozapine, which acts on the HT2A serotonin receptors to decrease the effects of serotonin in the brain. Many ant-psychotic drugs also act as antagonists for dopamine, … Read More
Psychology Sorted cognitive research: The effect of digital technology on memory and learning
There has been a lot in the news recently about the effect of social media on mental health, but less about the effect on school and university students of reading or responding to texts during lectures. As students expect to be ‘connected’ throughout the day, gradually mobile phones have been finding their way into classrooms and lecture halls. Students often … Read More
Overstimulation of newborn mice leads to deficits in cognition and attention
This research could be a useful counter argument to the classic Rosenzweig, Bennett and Diamond study (1972) into enriched environment and neuroplasticity. It suggests disco lights are out, but toys are in! This study was based on earlier findings by Christakis et al. (2004) that young children’s excessive television watching led to later attention problems. Christakis, Ramirez and Ramirez (2012) subjected … Read More
Emotion and memory
We all remember those special moments, don’t we? The birthday party with the huge cake, or our first day at school, or when we broke our arm playing in the snow. They seem as if they only happened yesterday, the memories are so vivid! Many years ago, some classic research was conducted by Brown and Kulik (1977) into the phenomenon of … Read More