Biopsychology: Localisation Of Functionin The Brain

Question 1

What is localisation of function

Answer 1

• the theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours, processes or activities

Question 2

Who argued in favour of localisation and function

Answer 2

Scientists such as Broca and Wernicke who discovered specific areas of the brain are associated with particular physical and psychological functions

Question 4

Outline the hemispheres of the brain

Answer 4

• the brain is divided into 2 - the left hemisphere and the right
• generally, activity on the left hand side of our body is controlled by the right hemisphere and vice versa
• the outer layer of the brain is called the cerebral cortex: 3mm thick + is what separates us from animals because ours is much more developed

Question 9

Outline the ‘visual area’

Answer 9

• part of the occipital lobe that receives and processes visual info

Question 12

What is the ‘brocas area’

Answer 12

• an area of the frontal lobe of the brain in the left hemisphere
• responsible for speech production
• damage to this area can cause Broca’s aphasia - characterised by slow speech, lacking in fluency etc

Question 13

What is the ‘wernickes area’

Answer 13

• an area of the temporal lobe in the left hemisphere
• responsible for language comprehension
• if damaged, Wernickes aphasia will occur, sufferers may produce ‘nonsense words’

Question 18

Outline ‘brain scan evidence of localisation’ as an evaluation point for localisation of the brain

Answer 18

• lots of evidence to suggest many neurological functions are localised
• e.g. Petersen et al - used brains scans + demonstrated How wernickes are was active during a listening tasks and Broca’s area was active during a reading task