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Psychology
Study Notes Summary: Cognitive Neuropsychology

Cognitive Neuropsychology
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Cognitive Neuropsychology is concerned with the patterns of cognitive performance
(intact/impaired) shown by brain-damaged patients
o Brain lesions
o Structural damage
o Injury or disease

Max Coltheart (2010):
“The principle aim of neuropsychology is not to learn
about the brain
...
”

Theoretical Assumptions
Modularity
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The cognitive system consists of numerous models or processors opening fairly
independently or separately from one another
It is assumed that these modules exhibit domain specificity
o This means that they only respond to 1 given class of stimuli
Example:
There may be a facial-recognition module that responds only when a face is
presented
...
(2000)
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Found the same areas within the frontal lobes were activated when very different
complex tasks were performed

Yarkoni et al
...


Dissociations
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Occurs when a patient performs normally on one task (Task X), but is impaired on a
second one (Task Y)
Example:
Amnesia
Short-term memory – almost normal
Long-term memory – greatly impaired

In order to avoid sweeping conclusions from dissociations, it has been argued that the solution
is to seek double dissociations

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