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1Teacher Enrichment Initiatives/CAINE2009©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

ThinkTwice!ThinkTwice!

L3

???

D’Scerner: Critical Appraisal of a Study “Dopamine

May Affect Thrill-Seeking Behavior in Humans”

TeACHer SeCTion

oBjeCTiveS:

Using instructional materials in the activity, students will be able to:

Module 1 Thinking About the Study■ Find sources of potential bias in the study and describe how they might affect

the results ■ Identify the type of study design■ Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables in the study

Module 2 The Results■ Find summative data in the study■ Create scatterplots from the study data■ Observe trends in the scatter plots

Module 3 Analyzing the Results■ Analyze the observed results in the study in a systematic manner to determine the

meaning of the results

Module 4 Comparing and Contrasting■ Compare and contrast the journal report to the media report to determine

accuracy of the media report■ Complete a Venn Diagram that compares the journal and media reports

ACTiviTy DeSCripTion:How often do we hear “Research Says”…? To develop science literacy skills, students

need to ask “Does it Really…”. Using a peer-reviewed journal article that has been

transformed for age appropriateness, students will analyze a peer-reviewed report of a

scientific study. They will compare the results reported in the journal article to a media

article that reported the results of the same study. Student analysis is carefully directed in

a systematic way through the use of four student modules. The modules created for each

critical appraisal lesson are very similar in structure to help students develop scientific

“habits of mind” as they work through the lessons. This lesson is based on a study done

to determine the relationship between dopamine in the brain and thrill-seeking behavior.

The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).



MATeriAlS:■ 1 class set of the Journal Article Dopamine May Affect Thrill-Seeking Behavior

in Humans

■ 1 class set of the Media Article Reckless? Blame Your Dopamine!

■ 1 copy of the Student Modules per student

(Note: if copy numbers are limited, you can make a class set of the modules and have

students record their answers in a journal or on their own paper)

MAnAgeMenT SuggeSTionS:The lesson can be divided into separate modules; each can be done at different times of

the year to align with your scope and sequence.

SuggeSTeD MoDifiCATionS:Allow students to work in pairs and provide modules with some information prefilled for

students in need of such assistance.

SuggeSTeD exTenSionS:Students can research ways in which thrill-seeking children can positively deal with this

behavior. Another research suggestion is to have students research other traits that are

associated with thrill-seeking behavior.

referenCeS uSeD:Roan, S. (2009). Reckless? Blame Your Dopamine! Los Angeles Times. Accessed on

September 15, 2009 at http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/01/impulsive-

blame.html.

Hill, AB. (1965). The environment and disease: Association or causation? Proceedings of

the Royal Society of Medicine, 58, 295-300.

Zald, DH; Cowan, RM; Ricacardi, P; Baldwin, RM; Ansari, MS; Li, R; Shelby, ES;

Smith, CE; McHugo, M; and Kessier, RM.. (2008). Midbrain dopamine receptor avail-

ability is inversely associated with novelty-seeking traits in humans. Journal of

Neuroscience, 28, 14372-14378.

Last, JM. (2000). A Dictionary of Epidemiology. USA: Oxford University Press.



Intended Grade Level: 6–12

Activity “Administrivia”

Key ConCepTS:

Critical appraisal skills, compare/contrast,

analyzing results of astudy, study design,

variables, controlled variables

proCeSS SKillS

uTilizeD in leSSon:

Communication, inference, prediction,

analysis of data, graphing

Key Words for Web page: Critical appraisal skills, compare/contrast, analyzing results of a study, study

design, variables, controlled variables, graphing, neurotransmitters, dopamine, thrill-seeking behavior

6, 7, and 8 Grade Science

6, 7, 8.2 Scientific investigation and reasoning.

The student uses scientific inquiry methods during

laboratory and field investigations. The student is

expected to:

(D) construct tables and graphs, using repeated trials

and means, to organize data and identify patterns;

(E) analyze data to formulate reasonable explana-

tions, communicate valid conclusions supported by

the data, and predict trends.

6, 7, 8.3 Scientific investigation and reasoning. The

student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning,

and problem solving to make informed decisions and

knows the contributions of relevant scientists. The

student is expected to:

(A) in all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and

critique scientific explanations by using empirical

evidence, logical reasoning, and experimental and

observational testing, including examining all sides

of scientific evidence of those scientific explana-

tions, so as to encourage critical thinking by student;

6, 7, and 8 Grade Health

6.4 Health information. The student comprehends

ways of researching, accessing, and analyzing health

information. The student is expected to:

(A) list ways to evaluate health products, practices,

and services such as sunblocks, dietary aides,

and over-the-counter medications; and

(B) use critical thinking to research and evaluate

health information.

6.5 Health behaviors. The student engages in

behaviors that reduce health risks throughout the life

span. The student is expected to:

(C) describe chemical dependency and addiction to

tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs and substances;

6.10 Personal/interpersonal skills. The student

describes healthy ways to communicate considera-

tion and respect for self, family, friends, and others.

The student is expected to:

(G) identify stressors and their impact on the health

of the individual and family.

7-8.4 Health information. The student knows how to

research, access, analyze, and use health informa-

tion. The student is expected to:

(A) use critical thinking to analyze and use health

information such as interpreting media messages;

(B) develop evaluation criteria for health

information;

7-8.5 Health behaviors. The student engages in

behaviors that reduce health risks throughout the life

span. The student is expected to:

(A) analyze and demonstrate strategies for prevent-

ing and responding to deliberate and accidental

injuries;

previouS leArning

ASSuMeD:

Basic scientific processskills, graphing skills,

sources of bias

Relevant TEKS

Dopamine May Affect Thrill-Seeking Behavior in HumansAbstract: Studies have linked a chemical in the brain to thrill-seeking and impulsive traits.

These studies were done in rats. The rat studies showed more thrill-seeking behavior occurs

when there is more dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a brain chemical (neurotransmitter)

that helps send messages in the nervous system. Based on the rat studies, scientists hypothe-

sized that thrill-seeking people had fewer limits on dopamine in the brain. Thirty-four

healthy people were selected for the study. The people in the study answered questions about

their thrill-seeking habits and beliefs. The scientists did brain imaging scans (PET scans) of

each person in the study. The scans showed differences between thrill-seekers and non-thrill-

seekers. The differences were in the number of dopamine receptors. These particular recep-

tors limit the amount of dopamine in the brain. Thrill seekers had fewer and therefore had

more dopamine in their brains. The people with more dopamine also had higher scores on

the thrill-seeking survey. Therefore, scientists think more dopamine in the brain might cause

thrill-seeking behavior.

Background: The nervous system is a complex network of nerve cells (neurons). Neurons

are packed tightly together. However, the neurons are not connected. There is a small gap

between each neuron called a synapse. Neurons communicate with each other through an

electrochemical process.

The nervous system can detect changes in the environment (stimuli). When a change is

detected, neurons respond by sending information to other neurons. In neurons, information

travels as electrical impulses. When an electrical impulse reaches the end of a neuron, it

stimulates the release of a chemical called a neurotransmitter. The neurotransmitter crosses

the small space (synapse) between two neurons (Figure 1). The neurotransmitter travels

across the synapse to the next neuron. Here, it

changes back to an electrical impulse. This electri-

cal impulse travels through the “receiving” neuron

on to the next neuron. The process continues much

like a relay race until the message reaches its desti-

nation (National Library of Medicine, 2009).

An area on the neuron called a receptor receives

the neurotransmitter. When a neurotransmitter has

done its job, four things can happen to it. The

neurotransmitter can be:

1. freely floating in the synapse

2. destroyed by chemical reactions

3. destroyed by special cells (glial cells)

4. reabsorbed or recycled

JOURNAL ARTICLETransformed into part of a plain language anthology

■●▼

Teacher Enrichment Initiatives/CAINE

2009©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

This article was transformed

for age level from the original

article, which appeared in

The Journal of Neuroscience,

28, 14372-14378, Zald, DH, et

al. (2008). Midbrain Dopamine

Receptor Availability Is

Inversely Associated with

Novelty-Seeking Traits in

Humans. AUTHORS:David H. Zald,1,2

Ronald L. Cowan,2,3

Patrizia Riccardi,4

Ronald M. Baldwin,3

M. Sib Ansari,3 Rui Li,3

Evan S. Shelby,1

Clarence E. Smith,3

Maureen McHugo,1 and

Robert M. Kessler3

Departments of

1 Psychology,

2 Psychiatry, and

3 Radiological Sciences,

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee 37240,

and

4 Department of Nuclear

Medicine, Albert Einstein

College of Medicine, Bronx,

New York 10461.

This article is for K–12

educational use only. This

transformation follows peer-

reviewed format.

1

TEI PLAINLANGUAGE

ANTHOLOGY

■●▼

Figure 1 Synapse

SYNAPSE

Dendrites

Axon

Axon


Dopamine is one of over 100 known neurotransmitters. There are 18 with major roles in the

brain. Dopamine is important in learning, motivation, sleep, mood, and attention (National

Library of Medicine, 2009). Dopamine is related to the “brain reward area”. When a person

has a “rewarding” experience, dopamine is released. Rewarding experiences include eating

food and taking drugs. Dopamine makes people feel good. The brain will remember the

reward. Simply thinking about the next reward causes dopamine release. In turn, a person

will participate in behavior to release more.

In this study, scientists used brain images to study the brains of risk-taking and thrill-seeking

people. The images were made by PET scans of the brain (Figure 2). Scientists used the

scans to look at exact areas of the brain. The scans show where neurotransmitters, like

dopamine, are released and absorbed by neurons. These studies tell scientists which part of

the brain is active during certain behaviors (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 2009).

This type of study is important because thrill-seekers are more likely to also enjoy taking

drugs (Howard et al., 1997). Thrill-seekers participate in risky activities. These can be

physical and emotional. Physical thrill-seeking includes activities like sky diving. Emotional

thrill-seeking includes things like gambling or spending too much money. This study indi-

cates that brain chemistry may be responsible for thrill-seeking (Bradberry et al., 1991).

The mechanism may also be important to understand why some people are more likely to

take drugs.

Rat studies have linked increases in dopamine to thrill-seeking (Berger et al., 1991; Frankle

et al., 2006). Scientists at Vanderbilt University in Nashville wanted to know if dopamine is

linked to thrill-seeking in humans as well. They designed a study to see if results similar to

those obtained in rats occur in humans.

Methods: The study took place in 2007 and 2008. Scientists screened human volunteers to

make sure they met study requirements. To be included in the study, volunteers had to pass

mental health screening. They could not have used stimulant drugs more than two times.

They could not smoke cigarettes on a daily basis. All participants in the study had to pass a

physical exam to make sure they could safely have brain scans. Each person was carefully

informed about the risks and benefits of being in the study. They signed informed consent

papers if they still wanted to be in the study.

The scientists selected 34 people for the study. Eighteen were male, sixteen were female.

They ranged in age from 18 years to 38 years. The average age was 23.4 years. All of the

people were right handed. Institutional Review Boards of the study sites reviewed all

procedures carefully and approved the study.

The people in the study took a written thrill-seeking survey (Cloninger, 1987). The survey

is used in studies like this one. It is accepted by researchers as reliable. The purpose of the

survey was to rate the people's “thrill-seeking and risk-taking” personalities. The survey

had 34 true/false questions. The survey was designed to see if a person had four main

characteristics:

1. liking new and exciting activities

2. decision-making speed (fast decision makers are usually risk-takers)

3. excessive money spending

4. wild disorderly behavior (a person doesn’t pay attention to rules)



2

TEI PLAINLANGUAGEANTHOLOGY




3

L R

z = -10 z = -15

L R

Highest Activity

LowestActivity

30

25

20

15

0

0.75 1.0 1.25 1.5 1.75 2.0

r2 = .46

DOPAMINE RECEPTOR AVA IL AB IL I TY

THRILL-S

EEKIN

GSCORE

Figure 3 Novelty Seeking Score on Survey vs Dopamine Receptor Availability

Note: Each point represents a person in the study.

TEI PLAINLANGUAGE

ANTHOLOGY


After answering the survey questions, people in the study had several brain scans. These

scans show how their brains control dopamine levels.

Results: The brain scans showed color-coded areas of activity in the brain. Figure 2

contains examples of the PET scans obtained in the study.

Figure 2 Sample Brain Scans from the Study

Discussion of Results: The study shows a relationship between thrill-seeking behavior and

dopamine in the brain. The data were plotted (Figure 3), showing the relationship between

receptor availability and thrill-seeking scores. Each point represents a person in the study.

As receptor availability increased, thrill-seeking scores decreased. Since receptors receive

and recycle dopamine, they reduce the amount of dopamine in the brain. Fewer receptors

mean more dopamine in the brain. This, in turn, means more thrill-seeking behavior. (The

reverse is true as well). This finding is the same as earlier rat studies.

Scientists think people with more dopamine have a greater reward when they do risk-taking

activities. The extra dopamine causes the greater reward. This, in turn, causes them to repeat

the risk-taking activities.

These findings are important because animal research has shown that thrill-seeking rats are

more likely to use stimulant drugs. Scientists need to do more studies to see if this is also

true in humans.

References:Berger B, Gaspar P, Verney C (1991) Dopaminergic innervation of the cerebral cortex:

unexpected differences between rodents and primates. Trends Neurosci 14:21-27.

Bradberry CW, Gruen RJ, Berridge CW, Roth RH (1991) Individual differences in behav-

ioral measures: correlations with nucleus-accumbens dopamine measured by microdialysis.

Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 39:877- 882.

Cloninger CR (1987) The tridimensional personality questionnaire. Version IV. St. Louis,

MO: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine.

Frankle WG, Laruelle M, Haber SN (2006) Prefrontal cortical projections to the midbrain in

primates: evidence for a sparse connection. Neuropsychopharmacology 31:1627-1636.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute. (2009). Brain Scans that Spy on the Brain. Accessed

September 22, 2009 from http://www.hhmi.org/senses/e110.html.

Howard MO, Kivlahan D, Walker RD (1997) Cloninger's tridimensional theory of personali-

ty and psychopathology: applications to substance use disorders. J Stud Alcohol 58:48-66.

National Library of Medicine. (2009). Medline Plus, Accessed September, 22, 2009 from

http://medlineplus.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health. None of the authors

disclosed a conflict of interest.

Measures of Readability for this transformed article (text only):

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 8.6

Flesch Readability 58.1



4

TEI PLAINLANGUAGEANTHOLOGY


wanted to see how the people

controlled dopamine in

the brain.

Thrill-seeking

traits “. . . are a

major risk factor for

the development of

drug abuse. . .”, said

lead researcher, David

Zald. His research suggests that the

brain is less able to control the release

of dopamine in risk-taking people. In

turn, these people are more likely to take

part in activities that normally cause

dopamine release.

STUDY FINDS:

Blame your Dopamine!_________________________________________________________________

Teacher Enrichment Initiatives

Teacher Enrichment Initiatives/CAINE© The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

TEI News A PLAIN LANGUAGE

ANTHOLOGYReviews

Dopamine is an important brain chemical.

It helps control how humans react to

rewards and pleasure. Rewards and pleas-

ure are responses to actions such as eating

food and taking drugs. People make and

handle dopamine differently. People

differ in how much dopamine is

released in their brains. This is

because they differ in the number of

dopamine receptors. A person with

fewer receptors has more dopamine in

the brain.

A new study has shown that risk-tak-

ing people do not recycle dopamine

as well as non risk-takers. This may

explain why such people are impulsive

and seek thrills. The study results were

published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Thirty-four people filled out a survey that

measured risk-taking as a personality trait.

The higher risk takers could not recycle

dopamine well. Vanderbilt University

researchers used PET scans to look at the

brains of the people in the study. They

RECKLESS?

Transformed for age level and academic use from the original article: Roan, S. (2009). Reckless? Blame Your Dopamine!

Los Angeles Times. Accessed on September 15, 2009 at http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/01/impulsive-blame.html.

This transformed article has a Flesch Reading Ease: Transformed Article 61, Original Article 36.6;

Flesch Kincaid Grade Level: Transformed Article 7.9, Original Article 13.5

1

general information:Name of Study ___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

First Author_____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Funders ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Institution(s) _____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimers/Disclosures __________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Health Science Content __________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Describe the test subjects of the study _______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Purpose of study _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Design of Article

❑ Newspaper ❑ Magazine

❑ Peer-Reviewed Journal ❑ Web Article/Blog

❑ Interview

Words to Define __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

D’ScErnEr, ThE LifE-LOng LEArnEr: STUDEnT grAphic

OrgAnizEr

Teacher Enrichment Initiatives/CAINE2009©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Dopamine May Affect Thrill-Seeking Behavior in Humans

DOpAMinE AnD ThriLL-SEEking bEhAviOr

MODULE 1–Thinking AbOUT ThE STUDy

D’Scerner

and her L’ete

group must deal

with this prelimi-

nary information

to help clearly

discern the facts

of this case. L3

???

2

STUDy DESign

EThicAL TrEATMEnT Of TEST SUbJEcTS

❐ Observational-Explain Your Choice

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

Why is this important to know?

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

❐ Experimental-Explain Your Choice

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

Why is this important to know?

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

OBSERVATIONAL

CHECK LIST

❐ Case Report

❐ Case Series

❐ Cross Sectional

❐ Case-Control Study

❐ Cohort Study


EXPERIMENTALCHECK LIST

❐ Intervention Study❐ Randomized

Controlled Trial

Why was it important for researchers to explain the study to participants and obtain written

consent from them? ___________________________________________________

Why was it important for the study to be done with human test subjects? _______________

__________________________________________________________________

Why did Institutional Review Boards of all 17 study locations have to approve the study

design? ____________________________________________________________



D’zineris a

master at identifying

the basic design in

any study. He hones

in on clues and puts

them together to

reveal the true

design of any study.

???

After reading your article, determine if the study was an observational or experimental

study. Then decide which study design was used and check the appropriate box. Explain your

choice in the space provided.


STUDy DESign

identify variables in the Study

Identify Controlled

Variables of study

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

Identify Independent Variable of study ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

STUDy DESign

Sources of bias

Sponsors, Funders, Target Audience,

Predetermined study goals –

How might each of these affect the results of the study?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

How did the research team handle any possible impact

on the study from factors such as conflict of interest?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

?? ?



D’riddler

takes the lead in

identifying the study

variables, bringing

the group one step

closer to the heart

of this study.

D’isabler uses

her well-honed

super sleuthing

skills to detect and

disable any sources

of bias that might

affect the results of

this study.

?? ?

?? ?

Identify Dependent

Variable of study

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________


nature of Data Collection ❐ Self Reported ❐ Clinical Setting ❐ Interview in Person ❐ Phone Interview ❐ Questionnaires ❐ Lab Procedures Check all that apply and explain how each might affect the results?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

D’Cypheris the real masterwhen it comes to

the data. There’s noone better to have

on the team when itcomes to sorting out

the numbers.

scatter plotsThe pages that follow contain data

tables and graph paper so you can prac-

tice making scatter plots that show

different kinds of relationships between

study variables. Learning to recognize

patterns in scatter plots is an easy way

to analyze your results. You will also

draw a line of best fit on each scatter

plot. See page 5 for instructions.

DOpaMinE anD ThRiLL-sEEking BEhaviOR

MODULE 2–ThE REsULTs

The data collected in this study

were organized into a visual

representation called a scatter plot

or scatter graph. This type of graph

gives a good visual picture of the

relationship between two variables.

Each point on the scatter plot

represents data from one test

subject. Once all the points are

plotted, the data can be examined

for trends and patterns.

1. What are the variables in this

study?

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

2. How many test subjects were

there in this study?

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

3. Why was a scatter plot the best

type of graph to use in reporting

the data?

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

???

4. Positive Relationship between variables: A positive relationship between variables is representedby an upward slope on the scatter plot. For an example, create a scatter plot by plotting the datafrom Table 1. Use the graph paper at the bottom of this page. Be sure to include a complete title,axes labels, and units of measurement. Draw a line of best fit on your scatterplot (see page 5).

Table 1 The Relationship Between Thrill-Seeking Score and the Number of Emergency Room Visits

2Teacher Enrichment Initiatives/CAINE2009©The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonioº



______________________________ (Axis label)

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

_

(Ax

is l

ab

el)

0 5 10 10 15 15 14 20 20 25 25 28 28 30 30 30 30

1 1 2 5 2 3 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 9 8 7 6

Thrill Seeking Score

Number of EmergencyRoom Visits

________________________________________ Title

3




5. Negative Relationship between Variables: A negative relationship between variables is repre-sented by a downward slope on the scatter plot. For an example, create a scatter plot by plottingthe data from Table 2. Use the graph paper at the bottom of this page. Be sure to include a complete title, axes labels, and units of measurement. Draw a line of best fit on your scatterplot (see page 5).

Table 2 The Relationship Between Thrill-Seeking Score and Frontal Lobe Brain Activity When Viewing Pictures of Extreme Sports

______________________________ (Axis label)

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

_

(Ax

is l

ab

el)

0 5 10 10 15 13 15 20 20 25 25 28 28 29 30 30 30

25 22 20 19 17 12 15 14 13 12 10 9 13 8 7 6 4


Frontal Lobe Activity When View-

ing Pictures of Extreme Sports

(Number of Counts in Thousands)

________________________________________ Title

4




6. No Apparent Relationship between Variables: A scatter plot with no obvious pattern among the points results when there is no relationship between variables. For an example, create a scatter plot by plotting the data from Table 3. Use the graph paper at the bottom of this page. Be sure toinclude a complete title, axes labels, and units of measurement. Draw a line of best fit on your scatterplot (see page 5).

Table 3 The Relationship Between Thrill-Seeking Score and Frontal Lobe Brain Activity When Viewing Pictures of Extreme Sports

______________________________ (Axis label)

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

__

_

(Ax

is l

ab

el)

0 10 10 15 15 15 20 20 25 25 28 28 29 30 30 30

5 15 1 28 8 16 18 3 11 3 17 20 1 9 7 19


Frontal Lobe Activity When View-

ing Pictures of Extreme Sports

(Number of Counts in Thousands)

________________________________________ Title

5



how to Estimate a Line of Best Fit

1. Plot the data on a grid.

2. As in other types of graphs, the independent variable should be placed on the X Axis andthe dependent variable on the Y axis.

3. Be sure to include axis labels, a complete title, and units of measurement on your graph.

4. Draw a circle around the points so you can see the general trend among the data. See example below.

5. Observe to determine if there is a positive relationship, a negative relationship, or no apparent relationship between variables.

6. Use a ruler and move it around in the circle until approximately one-half of the points are above the line and approximately one-half are below the line.

7. Draw the line on the scatter plot.

8. This is called a line of best fit.

9. The closer points are to the line of best fit, the stronger the relationship between variables. If the points are far away from the line, the relationship between variables is weaker.

30

25

20

15

0

0.75 1.0 1.25 1.5 1.75 2.0

DOPAMINE RECEPTOR AVAILABILITY

THRIL

L-S

EEKIN

G S

CORE

Novelty Seeking Score on Survey vs Dopamine Receptor Availability


1. strength of Relationship:

Study bias or factors negatively affecting the

experiment make the results less reliable.

List factors that affected the study results.

2.Consistency:

Were the results similar in repeated trials or

in different studies? Explain. If so, the

results are more reliable.

3.Compare test group to Control:

How did the test and control groups

compare? This helps establish the cause of

any observed change.

4.strength of Effect:

An increase in the treatment that results

in an increase in observed change helps

verify that the independent variable

caused the results. Was this true in this

study? Explain.

5.plausibility:

Is there a reasonable way to explain how

the treatment might cause the observed

changes? Explain.

6.study Design:

What kind of study design was used?

7.Analogy:

How could you find out if the results of this

study are similar to those of other studies?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Answers here:

DOpAMinE AnD thRiLL-sEEking BEhAviOR

MODULE 3–AnALyzing REsULtsD’Finertakes the lead

when it’s time to

analyze the results

and define the

cause of the results

and the degree of

certainty about

the cause.

What Caused the Results? Describe the results of the study interms of each item listed below. Write your answers in thespace provided. *Modified from Bradford-Hill considerations on causality

2

DOpAMinE AnD thRiLL-sEEking BEhAviOR

MODULE 3–AnALyzing REsULts

?


? ?think about your answers so far. What probably

caused the results found in this study?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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What is the relationship between thrill-seeking scores and the Dopamine

Receptor Availability? (see Figure 3 on page 3 of the article)

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how is receptor availability related to the amount of dopomine in the brain?

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how is thrill-seeking behavior related to the amount of dopomine in

the brain?

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Peer-Reviewed Media Article

Research Report

styleTitle written to catch

readers’ attention

Results reported with little

information about methods

Length of article

Length of paragraphs

Number of details about the study

Tables, Charts and Graphs included

Describe use of pictures and color

Describe writing style and use

of references

1

DOpaMinE anD thriLL-sEEking BEhaviOr

MODULE 4–COMparing anD COntrasting


Planning Page

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Research Report

study DescriptionResearchers, Organizations and

Universities described

Details about funders and

researchers included

Conflict of interest statement

included

Sources of possible bias reported

Type of study design reported

Study sample described

Detailed description of procedures

used in the study

Effect of Dopamine on Thrill-

Seeking Behavior

2




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What issue(s) is/are included in the media report but not the research article?___________________________________________________________________

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3





Research Report

DataAnalysis of data described

Use of statistics described

Information about gene activity

Formulae included

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Research Report

Overall ComparisonConclusions of the researchers

described

Describe which is more reliable

and why

Describe which is more interesting

and why

Overall Accuracy

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➥

Venn DiagRaM

4




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RE S EA

RC

H REP

ORT

MED

IAA

RTI C

L E

D’vennder

takes the lead

in putting it all

together and

comparing and

contrasting the

articles.

Compare and contrast the peer-reviewed article and the media literature article.Consider factors from your completed

planning page.

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