BIOPSYCHOLOGY Hemispheric Lateralisation Flashcards
Hemispheric Lateralisation
When the functions of the hemispheres are divided. The hemispheres have different specialisms
Left hemisphere is responsible for
Language processing, noticing small detail
Right hemisphere is responsible for
Recognises emotions, understanding spatial relationships
What are the bundle of nerves called that keep the hemispheres connected
Corpus callosum
The hemispheres are…
contralateral
What does contralateral mean
Opposite to what side it’s actually on
Who conducted the split brain research
Sperry ans Gazzaniga
What’s the background for split brain research
All ps undergone procedure to control severe epileptic seizures which involved the corpus callosum being cut down middle to separate the 2 hemispheres
What’s the aim for the split brain research
To investigate the extent to which the 2 hemispheres are specialised for certain functions and whether the hemisphere perform tasks independently of the other
Procedure for the split brain research
Ps asked to focus on a dot on centre of the screen
Images / words projected to the ps right visual field (left hemisphere) and some to the left visual field (right hemisphere)
What 3 things were tested
Can they describe what they can see
Can they touch an object which matches what they have seen in the board
Can they draw what they can see
Findings of split brain research
Describing what they can see - right visual field = can describe
Left visual field = can’t describe
Recognition by touch - left visual field = able to select matching object from gab bag using left hand
Drawing activity - image flashed to the right = couldn’t draw with right hand
Image flashed to the left = they could draw it
Matching faces - Ps selected faces shown to left visual field whilst one’s on right visual field were ignored
Conclusion for Split brain research
Left hemisphere - dominant in terms of speech and language
Right hemisphere - dominant in terms of visual motor tasks
Thus demonstrated lateralisation of brain functions because the functions are divided into different parts of the brain
