What is clinical neuropsychology?;The study of how brain structure and function relate to behavior and cognition in clinical populations. What is the main goal of clinical neuropsychology?;To understand, assess, and treat cognitive and behavioral effects of brain dysfunction. What distinguishes neuropsychology from general psychology?;It focuses specifically on brain–behavior relationships. What is a lesion in neuropsychology?;Damage to brain tissue that can affect function. What is the lesion method?;Studying behavioral effects of brain damage to infer function of brain regions. Why is the lesion method important?;It allows causal conclusions about brain–behavior relationships. What is a key limitation of the lesion method?;Brain damage is often not localized, making interpretation difficult. What is localization of function?;Specific brain areas are responsible for specific functions. What is equipotentiality?;The idea that many brain areas can perform the same function. What is functional specialization?;Different brain regions have distinct roles. What is neuroplasticity?;The brain’s ability to reorganize after damage. When is neuroplasticity strongest?;After injury and during early development. What is a double dissociation?;Two patients show opposite deficits, demonstrating independent functions. Why is double dissociation strong evidence?;It shows that two cognitive functions rely on separate systems. What is a single dissociation?;One function is impaired while another is intact. Why is single dissociation weaker than double dissociation?;It may reflect task difficulty rather than separate systems. What is structural neuroimaging?;Imaging that shows brain anatomy (e.g., MRI, CT). What is functional neuroimaging?;Imaging that shows brain activity (e.g., fMRI, PET). What does fMRI measure?;BOLD signal reflecting blood oxygenation changes. What is the BOLD signal?;Changes in oxygenated blood used as an indirect measure of neural activity. What distinguishes structural from functional imaging?;Structural shows anatomy, functional shows activity. What is temporal resolution?;How precisely a method tracks changes over time. What is spatial resolution?;How precisely a method identifies location in the brain. Which has high spatial but low temporal resolution: fMRI or EEG?;fMRI. Which has high temporal but low spatial resolution: fMRI or EEG?;EEG. What is EEG?;A method measuring electrical activity of the brain via scalp electrodes. What is a major advantage of EEG?;Excellent temporal resolution. What is a major limitation of EEG?;Poor spatial resolution. What is a neuropsychological assessment?;A structured evaluation of cognitive functioning using standardized tests. What is the purpose of neuropsychological testing?;To identify cognitive deficits and relate them to brain dysfunction. What is ecological validity?;How well test results generalize to real-world functioning. Why is ecological validity important?;Tests should reflect real-life abilities. What is a confounding variable in neuropsychology?;A factor that influences both brain and behavior, complicating interpretation. Why is causality difficult in neuroimaging studies?;Because they are often correlational. What is the difference between correlation and causation in brain studies?;Correlation shows association, causation shows direct effect. What is a cognitive function?;A mental process such as memory, attention, or language. What is a behavioral deficit?;Impairment in normal functioning due to brain dysfunction. What is a key assumption in neuropsychology?;Brain damage reveals normal brain function. Why are case studies important in neuropsychology?;They provide detailed insight into brain–behavior relationships. What is a limitation of case studies?;Limited generalizability. What is functional connectivity?;Correlation between activity in different brain regions. What distinguishes functional from effective connectivity?;Functional is correlation, effective is causal influence. What is structural connectivity?;Physical connections between brain regions. What is a key exam trap regarding imaging methods?;Confusing what each method measures (structure vs function vs timing).