BIOPSYCHOLOGY Localisation Of Function In The Brain Flashcards
What is meant by localisation of the brain
Refers to the idea that different parts of the brain are responsible for different functions
Activity on the left hand side of the body is controlled by the …
Right hemisphere
Activity on the right hand side of the body is controlled by the..
Left hemisphere
What is the function of the frontal lobe
Involved with voluntary movement, reasoning, mood/personality and impulse control
What is the function of the occipital lobe
Known for the visual processing centre of the brain
What is the function of the temporal lobe
Primarily responsible for processing auditory stimuli
What is the function of the parietal lobe
Involved with the processing the sense of touch, limb position, and spatial awareness
Location of the motor cortex
Frontal lobe
Function of the motor cortex
Controls voluntary movement in the opposite side of the body
What happens when motor cortex is damaged
Loss of control over movements
Location of the somatosensory cortex
Front of the parietal lobes
Function of the somatosensory cortex
Sensory information from the skin is represented (touch, heat, pressure)
What happens when the somatosensory cortex is damaged
Decreased ability to differentiate / feel stimuli
Location of the visual cortex
Occipital lobe
Function of the visual cortex
Images from right visual field sent to left visual cortex
Images from left visual field sent to right visual cortex
What happens when you damage the visual cortex
Damage to left hemisphere can produce blindness in part of the right visual field on both eyes
Damage to right hemisphere can produce blindness in part of the left visual field of both eyes
Location of the auditory cortex
Temporal lobe
Function of the auditory cortex
Analyses speech based information
What happens when you damage the auditory cortex
May produce partial hearing loss- more extensive the damage the moser extensive the loss
Location of Brocas Area
Small area in the left frontal lobe
Function of Broca’s area
Responsible for speech production
What happens when you damage Broca’s area
Causes Brocas aphasia - speech is slow, lacking in fluency
Location of wernickes area
Left temporal lobe
Function of Wernickes area
Responsible for language comprehension
What happens when you damage Wernickes area
Causes Wernickes aphasia - produce nonsense words as part of speech
AO3
+ Research support brain scan evidence
P - neurological functions localised , especially in relation to Lang and memory
E- Peterson et al - brain scans to demonstrate how Wernickes area was active during listening scan & Broca’s area active during reading task
F- tulving et al - long term memory study - semantic and episodic memory reside different parts of prefrontal cortex
TMB - brain scan evidence suggests areas of brain have different functions and localised in specific areas in brain
A03
- Contradictory research
Lashley - plasticity - explain plasticity
F - Lashley - also suggest that higher cognitive functions are not localised but distributed in a more holistic way in the brain. He removed areas of the cortex in rats and found that no area was important to the rats ability to learn the maze
I&D - reductionism, tries to fit each area of the brain to having specific function but neglects ability for them to compromise where there is damage
