WACE Psychology Unit 3: Brain & Behaviour — Flashcards & Quiz

Q1: Describe the functions of the four lobes of the cerebral cortex.

Frontal lobe: executive functions (planning, decision-making, reasoning), voluntary movement (primary motor cortex), speech production (Broca’s area), personality and impulse control. Parietal lobe: somatosensory processing (primary somatosensory cortex), spatial awareness, integration of sensory information. Temporal lobe: auditory processing (primary auditory cortex), language comprehension (Wernicke’s area), memory formation (hippocampus is located within the medial temporal lobe). Occipital lobe: visual processing (primary visual cortex), including colour, motion and depth perception.

Q2: What is cerebral lateralisation and what does split-brain research reveal?

Cerebral lateralisation refers to the specialisation of each cerebral hemisphere for different functions. Left hemisphere: language (Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas), logical/analytical thinking, mathematical processing and sequential processing. Right hemisphere: spatial awareness, facial recognition, emotional processing, creative/holistic thinking and musical ability. Split-brain research (Sperry & Gazzaniga, 1960s): severing the corpus callosum in epilepsy patients revealed that the two hemispheres process information independently when disconnected.

Q3: Explain the process of neural communication from one neuron to another.

Neural communication involves electrical transmission within a neuron and chemical transmission between neurons: (1) Resting potential: the neuron is at −70mV with more negative ions inside. (2) Depolarisation: a stimulus reaches the threshold, triggering an action potential that travels down the axon. (3) Saltatory conduction: in myelinated neurons, the action potential jumps between nodes of Ranvier, increasing speed. (4) At the axon terminal, calcium ions enter and cause vesicles to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft (exocytosis). (5) Neurotransmitters bind to post-synaptic receptors, producing excitatory or inhibitory effects. (6) Neurotransmitters are removed via reuptake, enzymatic degradation or diffusion.

Q4: Describe the roles of four key neurotransmitters in behaviour.

Dopamine: reward, motivation, pleasure, voluntary movement. Excess linked to schizophrenia; deficit linked to Parkinson’s disease. Serotonin: mood regulation, sleep, appetite, emotional processing. Low levels linked to depression and anxiety. GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid): primary inhibitory neurotransmitter — reduces neural excitability. Low GABA linked to anxiety disorders; enhanced by benzodiazepines and alcohol. Glutamate: primary excitatory neurotransmitter — involved in learning, memory and synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation). Excess linked to excitotoxicity and neurodegenerative conditions.

Q5: Compare the roles of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

The sympathetic division activates the fight-or-flight response during perceived threat: increases heart rate and blood pressure, dilates pupils and bronchioles, diverts blood to skeletal muscles, releases adrenaline from the adrenal medulla, suppresses digestion and salivation, stimulates glycogen breakdown for energy. The parasympathetic division activates the rest-and-digest response: decreases heart rate, constricts pupils, promotes digestion, stimulates salivation, conserves energy and promotes tissue repair. Both divisions work antagonistically to maintain homeostasis.

Q6: Explain brain plasticity and provide evidence for it.

Brain plasticity (neuroplasticity) is the brain’s ability to change its structure and function in response to experience, learning or injury. Types include: developmental plasticity — rapid neural growth and pruning during critical/sensitive periods; adaptive plasticity — changes in response to learning or environmental demands; compensatory plasticity — reorganisation after brain injury, where undamaged areas take over functions of damaged regions. Evidence comes from: enriched environment studies, London taxi driver research (Maguire et al., 2000), stroke rehabilitation and musician studies.

Q7: Compare EEG and fMRI as brain imaging techniques.

EEG (electroencephalography): records electrical activity via electrodes placed on the scalp. Excellent temporal resolution (millisecond precision). Poor spatial resolution (cannot pinpoint exact brain regions). Non-invasive, portable, relatively inexpensive. Used for sleep studies, epilepsy diagnosis and cognitive research. fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging): measures blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals, indicating areas of neural activity. Excellent spatial resolution (millimetre precision). Poor temporal resolution (several seconds lag). Non-invasive but expensive, requires the participant to remain still in a scanner. Used for localisation of brain functions.

Q8: What are the roles of the hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus?

Hippocampus: critical for forming new explicit (declarative) memories and spatial navigation. Damage causes anterograde amnesia (inability to form new memories). Located in the medial temporal lobe. Amygdala: processes emotional responses, particularly fear and threat detection. Activates the fight-or-flight response. Involved in emotional memory formation and conditioning. Located anterior to the hippocampus. Hypothalamus: regulates homeostasis including body temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep–wake cycles and the endocrine system (via the pituitary gland). Controls the autonomic nervous system.

Q1: The primary visual cortex is located in the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex.

Answer: FALSE

The primary visual cortex is located in the occipital lobe, at the back of the brain. The temporal lobe contains the primary auditory cortex and is involved in auditory processing, language comprehension and memory.

Q2: In most right-handed individuals, language processing is predominantly lateralised to the left cerebral hemisphere.

Answer: TRUE

In approximately 95% of right-handed people, language functions (including Broca’s area for speech production and Wernicke’s area for comprehension) are predominantly lateralised to the left hemisphere. Left-handed individuals show more variable lateralisation patterns.

Q3: The myelin sheath slows down the transmission of neural impulses along the axon.

Answer: FALSE

The myelin sheath speeds up neural transmission by insulating the axon and enabling saltatory conduction, where the action potential jumps between gaps in the myelin (nodes of Ranvier). Myelinated neurons transmit impulses much faster than unmyelinated ones.

Q4: GABA is the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory.

Answer: FALSE

GABA is the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, reducing neural excitability. Glutamate is the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter and is involved in learning and memory through long-term potentiation.

Q5: The sympathetic nervous system promotes digestion and conserves energy during rest.

Answer: FALSE

The parasympathetic nervous system promotes digestion and conserves energy (rest-and-digest response). The sympathetic nervous system suppresses digestion and mobilises energy for the fight-or-flight response during perceived threat.

Brain Structure and Localisation of Function

Knowing the functions of the four cortical lobes and subcortical structures (hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus) is essential. SCSA exams require you to link brain regions to specific functions using evidence from case studies and brain imaging research.

Cerebral Lateralisation and Split-Brain Research

Understanding hemispheric specialisation and the evidence from Sperry and Gazzaniga’s split-brain studies is core content. SCSA frequently tests your ability to predict what a split-brain patient would experience in different experimental scenarios.

Neural Communication and Neurotransmitter Systems

The step-by-step process of synaptic transmission and the roles of key neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate) are directly assessed. Linking neurotransmitter imbalances to specific conditions demonstrates the depth of understanding SCSA values.

Brain Plasticity and Research Methods

Understanding developmental, adaptive and compensatory plasticity, supported by research evidence (Maguire et al., Hubel & Wiesel), and evaluating brain imaging techniques (EEG, fMRI, CT, PET) are key exam skills that demonstrate your scientific literacy.

What does WACE Psychology Unit 3 cover about the brain and behaviour?

Unit 3 covers brain structure (lobes, subcortical structures), cerebral lateralisation (split-brain research), neuron structure and synaptic transmission, neurotransmitter systems (dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate), the autonomic nervous system, brain plasticity, and brain imaging techniques (EEG, fMRI, CT, PET).

Are these flashcards aligned to the SCSA curriculum?

Yes — every flashcard and quiz question is mapped to the SCSA WACE Psychology Units 3–4 syllabus for the brain and behaviour content area.

What brain imaging techniques should I know for WACE Psychology?

You should know EEG (measures electrical activity — excellent temporal resolution), fMRI (measures blood flow — excellent spatial resolution), CT (structural imaging using X-rays) and PET (metabolic activity using radioactive tracers). Know the strengths and limitations of each.