Flashcards
Blakemore and Cooper
Cards in this deck (8)
- 1What was the aim?To look at the behavioural consequences of restricted visual environment
To investigate the neurophysiological effects of the neurones in kittens visual cortex
Investigate the responses of brain development to environment - 2SampleKittens from birth to approximately one year old
Unknown amount but 2 were reported on for the neurobiological findings - 3Describe the materials46cm diameter and 2m high cylinder with a glass platform placed halfway up
Inside decorated with either horizontal or vertical stripes
A collar limiting the kittens vision to 130*
A top cover for the cylinder - 4Outline the procedureFrom birth, kittens were placed in a completely dark room
From 2 weeks, the kittens were placed in the cylinder for 5 hours a day and made to wear the collar.
At about 5 months, the daily exposure came to an end as this is thought to be the end of the kittens critical period for visual development - 5What were the general behavioural findings?From 5 months old the cats were taken to a well lit-furnished room and observed
When first exposed, both conditions showed visual deficits, they showed no startle response, did not demonstrate visual placing and navigated their way around the room by touch
After about 10 hours exposure, these deficits began to disappear
Some deficits e.g. clumsy visual tracking of movement and bumping into things remained - 6What differences were observed between the horizontally and vertically raised cats?It was found that horizontally raised cats could not see vertical stripes and vice versa
A sheet of perspex with black and white stripes was presented to the cats, if the stripes were the 'wrong' orientation they showed no response but would respond with a 'startle response' to stripes of the 'right' orientation
A rod was shaken in front of the cats, if the rod was presented horizontally to both a vertically raised cat and a horizontally raised cat only the horizontally raised cat would react and vice versa. - 7What were the neurobiological findings?In a 'normal' cat, the visual neurones demonstrate a preferred orientation but would have a balance of horizontal and vertical neurones
In the cats in the study, those raised horizontally had no neurones in the vertical orientation and vice versa.
This was found via operations on two of the cats at 7.5 months - 8ConclusionsThe development of the brain, at least the visual sense, responds to the environment it is placed in
This example of brain plasticity demonstrates the role of nurture in the development of cats vision
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- AS level Psychology (c02) Flashcards on Blakemore and Cooper, created by Zoe Rossall on 18/10/2017.
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- Zoe Rossall
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