Contemporary study in detail- Schmolk et al.

Question 1

What are the aims of the study?

Answer 1

To see if damage to the lateral temporal cortex was involved in semantic memory.
To see if HM was significantly different to the others.

Question 2

What’s the procedure?

Answer 2

6 patients were compared to 8 healthy patients. They were split into groups:
HF- 2 patients with damage restricted to the hippocampus.
MTL+ 3 patients with large MTL and anterolateral temporal cortex damage.
HM.
They were all given 9 tests based on line drawings. They measured semantic knowledge.

Question 3

What were his results?

Answer 3

The participants with the highest levels of brain damage did the worst.

Question 4

Conclusion?

Answer 4

Semantic knowledge difficulties are due to damage to the anterolateral temporal cortex.

Question 5

Evaluative strengths

Answer 5

The study used MRI and CT scans, which raises reliability.
The control group ensured reliable comparison and conclusion.
Many studies and procedures support these findings, so it is reliable.

Question 6

Evaluative weaknesses

Answer 6

It is difficult to use patients as there is a large amount of individual differences (HM).
The sample size is small- limits generalisability.
Plasticity may have effected the results.
Lacks ecological validity.