BA Meth 2
- Created by: Livbrown
- Created on: 27-04-15 09:48
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- BA Methodology - 2
- a further method used by the BA is brain scans ]
- For example MRI scans involve the use of a magnetic field which causes the atoms of the brain to change their alignment when the magnet is on
- and emit radio signals when the magnet is off
- the detector reads the signals and uses them to map the structure of the brain.
- A classic study by MAGUIRE ET AL 2000
- used MRIS to demonstrate that taxi drivers had large hippocampi than non taxi drivers
- supporting the view that this area is important with spatial memory
- in addition PET scans indicate areas of the brain activity through injecting the patient with a slight radio active glucose known as a tracer
- For example MRI scans involve the use of a magnetic field which causes the atoms of the brain to change their alignment when the magnet is on
- one strength of brain scans is that they can investigate people 's brains when they are still alive
- this is an improvement to earlier methods which could only investigate what the brain looked like post - mortem
- in addition to this most brain scans provide detailed and clear images of the brain which have good reliability and are highly objective
- Further more MRI's do not expose the patient to radiation
- However the main weakness of brain scans is the effect of the scanning process on patients
- for example PET scans involve injecting the patient
- a potentially emotionally arousing procedure
- so findings may be effected by anxiety
- a potentially emotionally arousing procedure
- similarly MRI scans are small and noisy inside and unlike day to day life
- thus lowering ecological validity
- In addition to this MRI scans can take a long time and can be uncomfortable for patients
- where as PET scans are costly and therefore are not easily availible for research
- for example PET scans involve injecting the patient
- a further method used by the BA is brain scans ]
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