biological psychology 2 (9)

what are executives functions?

higher-order processes that control and regulate goal-directed behavior

when are executive functions needed?

when behavior is not automatic or straightforward

main brain area for executive function?

Prefrontal cortex (PFC)

key corelations of prefrontal cortex and complex behavior?

Larger PFC→more complex behaviour

main components of executive function?

Inhibition, working memory, flexibility, initiation

Inhibition

suppressing automatic responses

working memory?

holding+manipulating information

Flexibility?

switching between tasks/rules

Initiation?

Starting behaviour without prompts (podskazki)

Alfred Binet contribution?

First intelligent test (mental age)

Mean IQ?

100

standard deviation of IQ?

15

What is g factor? (Charles Spearman)

General intelligence across tasks

Wolfgang Koehler key findings?

Insight learning (not trial-and-error)

Functional fixedness?

Inability to see new uses for objects

example of functional fixedness?

candle problem

how solve functional fixedness?

by breaking fixed patterns

Means-End Analysis is?

Reducing difference between current and goal state

how means-end analysis works?

using subgoals

what does Towers of Hanoi test?

planning and problem solving

what does card sorting test tests?

flexibility (rule switching)

what Iowa gambling test tests?

Decisions-making & impulse control

Frontal damage effect?

Poor decisions (choose risky options)

what does phineas gage case showed?

PFC controls behavior/personality

effect of Lobotomy?

reduced aggression but impaired initiation

key symptoms of frontotemporal dementia?

disinhibition, apathy, emotional change, language problems

why are executives functions late to develop?

PFC myelination occurs late

what happens with PFC damage?

cannot maintain information delay

Dorsolateral PFC?

manipulation (working memory)

ventrolateral PFC?

Maintenance?

medial PFC?

Inhibition

Restraint PFC?

attention, mentalization, source memory