ways of studying the brain

• FMRi


  • detecting changes in the blood flow
  • brain areas is more active= consumes more oxygen
  • produces 3- dimensional images- which part of the brain are involved in a particular mental process
• EEGs


  • measures electrical activity- via electrodes that are fixed to individuals scalps
  • represents brain wave patterns
  • may identify neurological abnormalities, epilepsy, tumours or disorders of sleep
• ERPs (event-related)


  • similar to EEGs
  • focus on the brains response to repeated stimuli
  • types of brain wave triggered by particular events that can be extracted from EEG recordings
• post-mortem 


  • examining brain after death
  • deficits during life correlated with brain damage
• FMRi(evaluation)

  strength:

  • risk free
  • high spatial resolution- allows psychologists to discriminate between different brain regions with more accuracy

  weakness:

  • poor temporal resolution- how quick
• EEG(evaluation)

  strength:

  • good for diagnosing illness
  • high temporal resolution

  weakness

  • overly general
• ERP (evaluation)

  strength:

  • precise measurement of cognitive functions

  weakness:

  • lack of standardise procedures
• post-mortem (evaluation)

  strength:

  • accurate- good insight to life when was alive

  weakness:

  • consent can be a problem