Describe the accident that changed Gage’s life.
Do you think Gage was lucky or unlucky? Why?
What part of the brain do scientists assume was injured? What evidence is there to support this?
How does plasticity play a role in Gage’s accident?
How did Gage die?
What happened to Gage’s body after death? Did you find this ethical or unethical? Why?
What do you find most interesting about this study?
2. Genie, the feral child
Describe in what fashion Genie has been raised (include how she was deprived and for how long).
What was unusual about her brain activity when it was measured?
What type of language developed in Genie?
Apply your theories of language development. Which theory do you think best describes how Genie developed (or did not develop) language. Which seems the least accurate?
What role did nature and nurture play in Genie’s development? Which do you think had a great role in Genie’s development?
Describe this experiment and identify the neutral stimulus, unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, conditioned stimulus, and the conditioned response.
What is stimulus generalization and how did it apply to Little Albert?
How does nature and nurture play a role in this experiment? Which you think has a greater influence on Little Albert? Why?
What ethical concerns does this study present?
Taking what you know about the Little Albert experiment, describe how a person could develop a phobia, using the behaviorist model.
“Jim Twins” – Jim Springer and Jim Lewis
Research the theory of the blank slate. Write a brief description of what this theory entails.
Discuss the story of the Jim Twins.
What do twin studies try to measure? What are the advantages?
What are the limitations of twin studies?
How does the nature versus nurture argument apply to these twins?
Which do you believe has a greater influence on behavior? Why?
Which do you believe has a greater influence on personality? Why?
