IB Psychology Neural Pruning Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is neural pruning?

Happens when we lose synaptic connections in a neural network because we do not use them.

What is a synapse?

The small space between neurons where neurotransmitters are fired from one neuron to the other.

Can stress cause acceleration in neural pruning during adolescence?

True

Who wrote the case study 'Poverty and Brain Development'?

Luby et al. 2013 Signup and view all the answers

What was the aim of the study?

To see if poverty was correlated with brain development and if there were mediating variables related to stress and parenting. Signup and view all the answers

Why were MRIs used in the study?

To measure whether poverty, stressful events, and parenting styles were correlated with hippocampal volume. Signup and view all the answers

What were the results of the study?

Results showed a negative correlation between poverty and hippocampal volume. Signup and view all the answers

What other result did they find?

They found that parenting and stressful life events were mediating variables in this relationship. Signup and view all the answers

What are three factors that can negatively affect the development of neural networks in the hippocampus?

Poverty, parenting styles, and stressful life events. Signup and view all the answers

What did the overall study show? (conclusion)

This study shows that stressful events could be accelerating the neural pruning process. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Neural Pruning

Neural pruning involves the loss of synaptic connections in a neural network due to lack of use, also known as synaptic pruning.

Synapse

A synapse is the minute gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are transmitted from one neuron to another.

Stress and Neural Pruning

Stress is linked to an acceleration of neural pruning specifically during adolescence.

Case Study Reference

The case study "Poverty and Brain Development" was conducted by Luby et al. in 2013.

Study Aim

The aim was to investigate whether poverty correlates with brain development while examining mediating variables such as stress and parenting.

MRI Usage

MRIs were utilized to assess correlations between poverty, stressful occurrences, parenting styles, and hippocampal volume in 145 children over a decade.

Study Results

The study revealed a negative correlation between poverty and hippocampal volume.

Additional Findings

Parenting styles and stressful life events served as mediating factors in the relationship between poverty and hippocampal volume.

Adverse Factors for Neural Network Development

Three critical factors that can hinder the development of neural networks in the hippocampus include poverty, parenting styles, and stressful life events.

Conclusion of the Study

The overall findings suggest that stressful events may speed up the neural pruning process.

Description

Test your knowledge on neural pruning and related psychological concepts with these flashcards focused on IB Psychology. Each card covers essential terms and definitions that are crucial for understanding how synaptic connections are formed and lost. Perfect for students preparing for their assessments!