Biological - Sperry Flashcards
What was the background?
Information about the brain being split into two hemispheres - each with different ability - called Lateralisation of Function.
What does the left control?
Language + maths
What does the right control?
Spacial abilities + creativity
What is epilepsy?
The condition is brought on by abnormal electrical impulses discharging within the brain disrupting normal brain patterns.
What was the aim?
To study the function of seperate and independent hemisphere
What was the research method and the IV and DV of this study?
Quasi Experiment - IV was split brain or not and the DV was ability on tasks
What was the sample?
11 patients who had undergone spit brain surgery - compared against people who had not had the surgery - obtained from a surgery in America - opportunity
What were the controls?
Procedure, objects, set-up/material, possibly the man, time to see images, covered one eye, hands shielded from view, tasks, symbols displayed, fixation point
What was the set up?
Tachistoscope equipment
What would happen if objects were presented in the right visual?
Say what they had seen
What would happen if objects were presents in the left visual field?
Point at and draw the objects with left hand
What ethical guidelines did Sperry uphold?
Consent, confidentiality and deception
What ethical guidelines did Sperry break?
Protection from harm
Point for internal reliability?
Procedure was full standardised and easy to replicate due to amount of controls
Point for external reliability?
Sample was only 11 patients and therefore was not large enough to establish a consistent effect
Point for internal (construct) validity?
Perhaps the behaviour can be explained as a result of their epilepsy not the surgery
Point for external (population) validity?
Sample was very specific so perhaps not generalisable
Point for external (ecological) validity?
In the visual tasks, the tachistoscope procedure was not very realistic as we see things for more than 1/10th of a second
In the tactile tasks, it is quite normal for us not too see our hands.
Is this study applicable only to the culture in which the research was carried out, or could the findings apply elsewhere?
Sample was only from America - however does this matter as the function of our brains are said to be universal?
