Unit 2; Core Studies; Blakemoor & Cooper
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- Created on: 13-03-17 17:34
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- Blakemoor & Cooper
- Background: Hirsch & Spinelli reared kittens with 1 eye seeing stripes, neurons developed to direction of stripes
- Aims
- compare behavioural consequence of raising kittens only seeing hoz or vert stripes
- investigate neurophysical effects in kittens' visual cortex
- Sample: 2 kittens used from birth to 1 year old
- IV: if saw hoz or vert stripes DV: behaviour /neurones
- Procedure
- first 2 weeks kept in a completely dark room
- 2wks - 5mnths spent 5hrs each day in a horizontal or vertical striped container 2m high, 46cm diameter
- wore a large ruff collar so couldn't see own body
- at 5mnths taken for several hours to well lit room with furniture to test behaviour
- at 7.5mnths paralysed with eyes open, electrodes inserted in primary visual cortex
- shown bright slits of light and visual neuron activity was recorded
- Results
- no startle response
- no visual placing
- navigated using touch
- deficits receded after 10hours in a well lit room
- visual tracking was clumsy as well as movements
- virtually blind to contours perpendicular to stripes they'd been exposed to
- each had no neurones perpendicular to orientation they'd been shown
- Conclusion: neurones can change preferred orientation according to stimulus
- Reliability & Validity
- IR: could be repeated, although ethical guidelines may restrict
- ER: only 2 cats used, applicable to humans?
- IV: both cats showed predicted deficits
- EV: not normal life
- Ethnocentrism: N/A
- Ethics: approved by home office
- Summary
- Biological area: how our enviro affects our brains, uses neurological measures
- Brain plasticity: neurones can change orientation
- Debates
- Nature vs Nurture; enviro stimuli alters visual neurons
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