Wedekind Et Al (1995), Clarke & Hatfield (1989), Maguire Et Al (2000), draganski et al (2004), Antonova et al (2011)

Wedekind Et Al 1995 AIM

To see whether human body odors and female preferences for them are dependent on a persons MHC - genes.

Wedekind Et Al 1995 PROCEDURE

49 female participants and 44 male participants were tested to identify their MHC genes.

They were then all asked to wear a shirt that was 100% cotton.

They had to wear them for 2 days straight and then the females were asked to smell the shirts on the 3rd day and rate them from 1-10 on how pleasant they were.

Wedekind Et Al 1995 RESULTS

Women preferred men with dissimilar immune systems or MHC - genes to their own.

Wedekind Et Al 1995 EVOLUTIONARY ARGUMENTS

The smell of the MHC - genes appeals to us because they are different to the ones that we have ourselves. It means that the offspring created will have a strong immune system, and thus a greater chance of survival.

Wedekind Et Al 1995 CONCLUSION

Our attraction to other people could be due to the smell of their genes and the more dissimilar the genes are to our own the more likely we are to be attracted to the scent.

Clark and Hatfield (1989): Aim

To investigate the difference in choosiness shown by males and females when approached by a stranger offering sex.

Clark and Hatfield (1989): Sample

opportunity sample of 48 female and 48 male Florida University students.

Clark and Hatfield (1989): Controls of method

Five female and four male confederates were instructed to place themselves at one of five pre-determined points around the university campus. The confederates were approximately 22 years old; similar to the ages of the student participants that they would be approaching.

Clark and Hatfield (1989): Method

Each confederate approached an opposite-sex lone participant and at random and made one of the pre-determined requests

The confederates were instructed to only approach participants whom they found genuinely attractive and with whom they would actually consider having sex.

Clark and Hatfield (1989): Pre-determined requests

"I've watched you around campus, I find you very attractive" followed by either:

"Would you go out with me tonight?" or " Would you come over to my apartment tonight?" or "Would you go to bed with me tonight?"

Clark and Hatfield (1989): Results

The request for a date was met with around 50% agreement from M+ W Request to go to the confederate's apartment: 69%M "yes" responses (in both studies) but between 0-6%F "yes" responses across the two studies. 75% (study 1) and 69% (study 2) M said "yes" to having sex with the confederate compared to 0% F in both studies. Around three-quarters of the male participants were willing to have sex with a stranger; none of the women were.

Clark and Hatfield (1989): Conclusion

Women do appear to perate a system of increased choosiness when it comes to their sexual behaviour, whereas men seem to be less bothered by a possibly risky sexual encounter with a stranger. This supports the evolutionary theory of mate selection.

Maguire Et Al (2000) AIM

Performed a correlational study to see whether our hippocampus was responsible or played a role in managing our spatial memory.

Maguire Et Al (2000) PARTICIPANTS

50 Non-Taxi Drivers and 16 Taxi - Drivers from London.

Maguire Et Al (2000) PROCEDURE

The time that the taxi - drivers had been doing their job was recorded (this happened to give them an age gap of 32-62 years).

Each participant had their brain scanned using the MRI technique.

Maguire Et Al (2000) FINDINGS

The posterior part of the hippocampus in the taxi-driver's was far larger than those of the hippocampi in the non-taxi driver's.

The general size of the hippocampus was also increased as well.

Maguire Et Al (2000) CONCLUSION

The hippocampus has been linked to the way in which humans are able to remember where they have been and directions, this is known as 'Spatial Memory'.

Draganski et al (2004): Aim

Find out whether the human brain can change structure in response to environmental demands

Draganski et al (2004): Procedure

Random sampling design, self-selected sample

Randomly allocated a sample of volunteers into 2 groups

One : jugglers

Two : non-jugglers

Made sure that both groups had no experience of juggling before the start of the experiment

First MRI performed

Participants in the juggler group subsequently spent three months learning a classic juggling routine with three balls

Second MRI performed

Participants in the juggler group spent three months where they were instructed not to practice juggling

Third MRI performed

Draganski et al (2004): Results

Prior to the start of the experiment there was no difference in brain structure

Second scan the juggler had more gray matter in some areas of the cortex mostly the mid-temporal area

Third scan differences decreased but jugglers denser gray matter

Draganski et al (2004): Conclusion

If we practice something then our brain will increase and when we stop practicing then it will decrease again, but often not to its original state

Antonova et al (2011): This study can be used for...

1. Neurotransmitters

Acetycholine is an excitatory neurotransmitter

You can use this study in talking about the role of antagonist drug (Scopolamine - disrupts hippocampal activity during allocentric spatial memory in humans - acetycholine receptors are bloces)

Antonova et al (2011): Aim

To determine how blocking the acetylcholine receptors with scopolamine affects spatial memory.

Antonova et al (2011): Procedure

20 healthy male adults, double bling. 2 conditions. Injected with either scopolamine or a placebo 70-90 min before the experimental task. Participants were put into fMRI scan while play a virtual reality arena task. Participants were first trained in game so they knew the rules. After training, the participants' brain activity were measured for 6 trials. Participants returned 3-4 weeks later and redid the test with opposite treatment to original study.

The arena task - was a complex virtual reality game, goal is to navigate around an "arena" with goal of reaching a role. After learning where the pole is, screen goes black for 30 s, during time participants were asked to rehearse how to get to the pole in the arena. When the arena reappeared, the participant was at a new starting point. Had to use spatial memory to determine how to get to the location of the pole.

Antonova et al (2011): Findings

When the participants were injected with scopolamine, they demonstrated a significant reduction in the activation of the hippocampus compared to when they received a placebo. This suggests that scopolamine impairs memorization of new information by decreasing spiking activity within the hippocampus.

Antonova et al (2011): Conclusions

It appears that acetylcholine could play a key role in the encoding of spatial memories in humans.