Biopsychology: Localisation of Function in the Brain 24/25 UPDATED Flashcards
What is meant by localisation of function? (2 marks) (Example needed)
Where specific areas of the brain are specialized for certain functions (jobs). E.g. the motor cortex is responsible for voluntary movement. Only this area of the brain is responsible for this job.
What is meant by holistic theory?
Before investigations into Localisation and Lateralisation, scientists believed that all parts of the brain worked together to process information.
How is localisation of function different to hemispheric lateralisation?
Localisation of function suggests that the brain has specific areas responsible for certain functions, whereas hemispheric lateralisation argues that the brain is split into two symmetrical halves whereby the left and the right hemisphere have different responsibilities.
What is the role of Broca’s area?
Production of spoken and written language
What can damage to Broca’s area lead to?
Broca’s aphasia - A person may show slow speech or speech lacking in fluency or absence of speech
Where is Broca’s area?
Left hemisphere
What is the role of the motor cortex?
Creation of voluntary movements
Where is the motor cortex located?
Both left and right hemisphere
What does damage to the motor cortex lead to?
Loss of control over fine movements, small movements on the opposite side of the body
What is the role of the somatosensory cortex?
Processes information from the senses in the skin. This includes touch, pressure, pain and temperature.
Where is the somatosensory cortex located?
Both left and right hemisphere
What does damage to the somatosensory cortex lead to?
Difficulty in perceiving touch, failure to recognise object by touch
What is the role of the visual cortex?
Receives information directly from the eyes. Processes information such as colour and shape.
Where is the visual cortex located
Back of the brain - across both left and right hemisphere
Damage to the visual cortex can lead to ,,.
Blindness, hallucination or inability to see colour or motion
What is the role of Wernicke’s area?
Involved in the understanding/comprehension of language
Where is Wernicke’s area located?
Left hemipshere
What can damage to Wernicke’s area lead to?
Wernicke’s aphasia - cannot understand spoken language or produces nonsense words as part of speech.
What is the role of the auditory cortex?
Analyses speech based information e.g. hearing and pitch
Where is the auditory cortex located?
In both left and right hemisphere.
AO3: Research to support localisation of function was conducted by who?
Broca
What can damage to the auditory cortex lead to?
Partial hearing loss through to full hearing loss
AO3: What did Broca report on?
Broca reported the case study of a man who lost the ability to speak, expect for one word ‘Tan’ even those he could still understand language.
AO3: What was the case study patient Broca investigated able and not able to do?
The patient was unable to produce language apart from the word ‘Tan’ but was still able to understand language.
AO3: What was shown on the post mortem examinations for Broca’s case study patient?
Post mortems showed damaged to one area of the brain in the left hemisphere, which is now named Broca’s area.
AO3: How does Broca’s case study research support localisation of function in the brain?
because it shows how the function of Broca’s area is specifically to produce language, increasing the validity of the research.
AO3: Research to contradict localisation of function was conducted on who?
Patient EB
AO3: What happened to patient EB?
EB suffered from brain damage which resulted in the removal of his left hemisphere, and therefore his language centres.
AO3: What was found about patient EB?
After some time, EB managed to regain some of his language ability which would not be possible if the language centres were completely localised to the left hemisphere.
AO3: How does Patient EB’s case contradict localisation of function in the brain
Because if language was localised to the left hemisphere, patient EB would never have been able to regain any language ability.
AO3: What theory may be more appropriate to use to explain functioning of the brain based on patient EB’s research?
A holistic theory of brain functioning
AO3: What is the problem with the use of Broca’s case study research and the case study research into patient EB AND why is it a problem?
Low population validity - difficult to generalise the findings beyond the sample to the wider population as they are unique cases with severe brain damage. Therefore, the general population’s brain functions may be different.
AO3: What has research found that contradicts that language is solely in the left hemisphere?
It may not always be in the left hemisphere. It may be in the dominant hemisphere which is commonly found to be opposite to dominant handedness.
AO3: What sample did Lashley use in their research which contradicted localisation of function?
Rats
AO3: How can Lashley’s research to contradict localisation of function be criticised and why?
Animal bias - use of rats, humans have a more complex/sophisticated brain functioning therefore difficult to generalise the findings about localisation of function to humans.
AO3: What did Lashley find in their study?
That no area was more important than any other area in terms of the rats ability to learn the maze. It suggested that the process of learning required all areas of the cortex rather than one specific localised area.
AO3: Based on Lashley’s findings that ‘the process of learning required all areas of the cortex rather than one specific localised area’ - which explanation of how the brain functions would be most appropriate?
A holistic explanation // Holistic theory
What is the difference between Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area?
Broca’s area is responsible for Speech Production whereas Wernicke’s area is responsible for comprehension/understanding of language.
Which letter is pointing to Broca’s area?
A
Which letter is pointing to the somatosensory area?
C
Which letter is pointing to the Visual Cortex?
D
Which letter is pointing to Wernicke’s area?
E
Which letter is pointing to the Motor Cortex?
B
Which box is pointing to the somatosensory cortex? Top, middle or bottom box?
Top box
Which box is pointing to the visual cortex? Top, middle or bottom box?
Middle box
Which box is pointing to the auditory cortex? Top, middle or bottom box?
Bottom box
Which area is responsible for processing sensations such as pain and pressure?
C - somatosensory cortex
Which area processes information such as colour and shape?
D - visual cortex
Which area processes information such as pitch and volume?
E - auditory cortex
Which area is responsible for voluntary movements?
B - motor cortex
AO3: What did Lashley do in their research?
Lashley removed areas of the cortex in rats (between 10% and 50%) that were learning a maze.
