Passage
Although the terms sex, sex category, and gender are commonly used interchangeably by most people, sociologists distinguish between them. Sex refers to the biological distinction between bodies (eg, male, female). Sex category (eg, male, female) is based on the visible secondary sex characteristics people use to attribute sex to others. Gender (eg, masculine, feminine) specifically refers to the behaviors and behavioral expectations people attribute to others on the basis of the individual's perceived sex category. Sex category and gender have recently been conceptualized as continua, with male and female as the extremes for sex category perception and masculine and feminine as the extremes for gender. Despite this, sex category and gender are usually perceived by humans categorically instead of continuously.Researchers conducted a study to assess how sex category interpretation is related to implicit bias and cortical activity. For the first phase, researchers tested sex category interpretation using 12 highly realistic computer-generated "facial morphs" varying along a continuum of apparent sex category from extremely male (1) to extremely female (12). The sexually dimorphic content of the faces was manipulated, but all other aspects were unchanged. For example, eyes and noses remained constant, but brow lines and eyebrows were thickened for male faces. Participants viewed the 12 faces in random order, rating each face on a scale of 1 (extremely male) to 10 (extremely female). Despite the uniform increments in the sexually dimorphic content of the facial morphs, responses demonstrated dichotomous sex category classification, as expected.For the second phase, which assessed the relationship between sex category interpretation and implicit bias, participants completed an implicit association test (IAT), in which they were shown the facial morphs with a pair of word attributes, one positive and one negative (eg, hard-working, lazy), and were asked to quickly pick the word they most associated with the face. Participants demonstrated shorter response times for facial morphs at the end points of the sex category continuum.For the third phase, researchers assessed the relationship between face-sensitive regions in the occipitotemporal cortex, particularly the fusiform face area (FFA), and sex category interpretation. Participants were injected with a glucose analog containing a radioactive tracer an hour before brain activity was measured while participants viewed the facial morphs. Results suggest that FFA activity was strongest when the faces were at the end points of the sex category continuum, regardless of whether a face was perceived as male or female.
-Which neuroimaging technique was most likely used in phase 3?

Question

Passage
Although the terms sex, sex category, and gender are commonly used interchangeably by most people, sociologists distinguish between them.  Sex refers to the biological distinction between bodies (eg, male, female).  Sex category (eg, male, female) is based on the visible secondary sex characteristics people use to attribute sex to others.  Gender (eg, masculine, feminine) specifically refers to the behaviors and behavioral expectations people attribute to others on the basis of the individual's perceived sex category.  Sex category and gender have recently been conceptualized as continua, with male and female as the extremes for sex category perception and masculine and feminine as the extremes for gender.  Despite this, sex category and gender are usually perceived by humans categorically instead of continuously.Researchers conducted a study to assess how sex category interpretation is related to implicit bias and cortical activity.  For the first phase, researchers tested sex category interpretation using 12 highly realistic computer-generated "facial morphs" varying along a continuum of apparent sex category from extremely male (1) to extremely female (12).  The sexually dimorphic content of the faces was manipulated, but all other aspects were unchanged.  For example, eyes and noses remained constant, but brow lines and eyebrows were thickened for male faces.  Participants viewed the 12 faces in random order, rating each face on a scale of 1 (extremely male) to 10 (extremely female).  Despite the uniform increments in the sexually dimorphic content of the facial morphs, responses demonstrated dichotomous sex category classification, as expected.For the second phase, which assessed the relationship between sex category interpretation and implicit bias, participants completed an implicit association test (IAT), in which they were shown the facial morphs with a pair of word attributes, one positive and one negative (eg, hard-working, lazy), and were asked to quickly pick the word they most associated with the face.  Participants demonstrated shorter response times for facial morphs at the end points of the sex category continuum.For the third phase, researchers assessed the relationship between face-sensitive regions in the occipitotemporal cortex, particularly the fusiform face area (FFA), and sex category interpretation.  Participants were injected with a glucose analog containing a radioactive tracer an hour before brain activity was measured while participants viewed the facial morphs.  Results suggest that FFA activity was strongest when the faces were at the end points of the sex category continuum, regardless of whether a face was perceived as male or female.
-Which neuroimaging technique was most likely used in phase 3?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

11ecba2d_0cec_e90e_a3bf_897e972d8e0e_MD0008_00 Positron emission tomography (PET) is a functional imaging technique that monitors physiological activity by measuring labeled glucose metabolism. Active brain regions metabolize glucose more quickly, so a glucose analog with a radioactive tracer is used for PET neuroimaging. The metabolism of the analog results in the emission of positrons, which are detected by the PET scanner; this information is often combined with other imaging techniques to produce a three-dimensional image of the brain showing hypermetabolic and hypometabolic regions. The final paragraph most clearly suggests the use of PET. It describes the injection of participants with a glucose analog containing a radioactive tracer an hour before brain activity measurement. (Choice A) A computerized tomography (CT) scan uses x-rays to create cross-sectional images of the brain and is most useful for providing images of detailed structures. However, it is not useful for determining which part of the brain is active at any given time. (Choice B) An electroencephalogram (EEG) measures electrical brain activity through the use of electrodes attached to the scalp. An EEG can provide some information about brain activity, but it cannot localize activity to a specific brain area, such as the fusiform face area (FFA). (Choice D) Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) uses a powerful magnet to align the protons of water molecules in the body, creating nuclear magnetic resonance, which is measured by the scanner. This technique produces three-dimensional pictures of the brain and can indicate which brain areas are active at any given time. The use of a glucose analog containing a radioactive tracer is not necessary for fMRI. Educational objective: Positron emission tomography is a functional neuroimaging technique that measures physiological activity in the brain. It uses a radioactive tracer attached to a glucose analog to measure which areas of the brain are metabolically active (using glucose more rapidly) during specific tasks.