The primacy of behavioral research for understanding the brain

Vocabulary flashcards capturing key terms and definitions from Yael Niv's lecture on behavioral primacy in understanding the brain.

Behavioral research

The study of observable behavior to understand brain function; argued to be primary for understanding cognition.

Neuroscience data

Neural measurements or perturbations (e.g., fMRI, optogenetics) used to study brain mechanisms.

fMRI

Noninvasive imaging of brain activity via blood-oxygenation-level dependent signals.

Optogenetics

Technique to control neural activity with light to test causal roles of neurons.

DREADDs

Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs; chemogenetic method to modulate neural activity.

Prediction error

Difference between expected and actual outcomes that drives learning.

Reward prediction error

Phasic dopamine signal coding the mismatch between predicted and received reward.

Blocking

Learning about a new cue is reduced when a previously learned cue already predicts the outcome; requires prediction error.

Rescorla–Wagner model

Computational theory of Pavlovian conditioning based on prediction errors.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter signaling reward prediction errors; crucial for reinforcement learning.

Egocentric strategy

Navigation based on body-centered cues (turning relative to self).

Allocentric strategy

Navigation based on external environmental cues (location in space).

Packard & McGaugh 1996 T-maze

Behavioral manipulation by rotating the maze to reveal whether rats rely on egocentric or allocentric cues.

Retrieval-induced forgetting

When retrieving some items weakens competing memories, making them harder to recall later.

Working memory

Temporary storage and manipulation of information; capacity debated as discrete slots vs. a shared resource.

Visual working memory

Capacity of holding and manipulating visual items; evidence for object-based storage across features.

Attentional spotlight 8 Hz

Idea that attention samples the environment in cycles around 8 times per second.

Frontoparietal attention network

Brain network (lateral intraparietal cortex, frontal eye fields) that maintains attention and regulates shifts.

Theory of mind

Understanding others' beliefs and mental states; developed behaviorally before neural mappings.

Fusiform Face Area (FFA)

Brain region specialized for face perception; domain-specific.

Henry Molaison (H.M.)

Patient whose memory impairment helped distinguish episodic from other memory systems.

Habit vs. goal-directed decision making

Two learning systems: model-free (habits) and model-based (planning); can operate in parallel.

N-back task

Working-memory task requiring continuous updating; changing N modulates memory load and tests maintenance.

Marr’s computational level

Idea that cognitive systems can be understood at three levels: what is computed, how, and with what implementation.