PSYB01H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: The Control Group, Neuroplasticity, Cognitive Training
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In a study, merzenich examined whether healthy participants aged 60 years or older would show improved mental abilities following brain plasticity training that involved working out performing a prescribed 5-day-a-week regimen or cognitive exercises on their home computers. For the merzenich study, the question posed is one of cause and effect, and as such, it dictates an experimental design known simply as a true experiment. Recall, an experiment is a controlled investigation in which one or more variables are manipulated. And as you know, variables differ in the degree to which they can be controlled or manipulated. In a true experiment, a researcher has complete control over the manipulation of the independent variable. Such experimental control allows for testing whether systematically varying the independent variable causes changes in the dependent variable. For the merzenich study, this meant investigating whether varying training could lead to improved memory.
