Neuroimaging intelligence testing: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:07, 18 July 2014

Revision as of 13:24, 25 December 2014

Line 17:

===Brain event-related potentials (ERPs)===

Brain ERPs allow for the "sequencing" of psychologically interesting processing. These [[event-related potentials]] are measured brain responses to specific stimuli, such as sensory, cognitive or motor events. ERPs, when compared to "mental speed," have shown a negative correlation with IQ. Research with ERPs suggests that high IQ individuals have a faster response time in some test conditions, have distinguishable ERP waveforms that are different than those of people with lower IQs, and may have less variability in their ERPs. The lack of variability suggests that individuals with a high IQ are will have good scores in a variety of testing situations.<ref name=deary2>{{cite journal|last=Deary|first=IJ|author2=Caryl, PG|title=Neuroscience and human intelligence differences.|journal=Trends in neurosciences|date=August 1997|year=1997|volume=20|issue=8|pages=365–71|pmid=9246731|doi=10.1016/S0166-2236(97)01070-9}}</ref>

ERPs can be measured using electroencephalography (EEG), which uses electrodes placed on the scalp to measure the electrical activity of the brain. The ERP waveform itself is constructed from the averaged results of many trials (100 or more). The average reduces signal noise from random-brain activity, leaving just the ERP.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rugg|first=edited by Michael D.|title=Electrophysiology of mind event-related brain potentials and cognition|year=1996|publisher=Oxford University Press|___location=Oxford|isbn=9780198524168|edition=Reprinted.|author2=Coles, Michael G.H.}}</ref> An advantage of ERPs are that they measure processing between stimulus and response continuously. Having this stream of information makes it possible to see where the brain's electrical activity is being affected by specific stimuli.<ref>{{cite book|last=Luck|first=Steven J.|title=An introduction to the event-related potential technique|year=2005|publisher=MIT Press|___location=Cambridge, Mass.|isbn=0-262-62196-7|pages=21–23}}</ref>