Hemispheric Lateralisation

Question 1

What is Hemispheric Laterlisation?

Answer 1

• Two hemispheres of brain are functionally different

Question 2

Which hemisphere is dominant for language?

Answer 2

• Left hemisphere

Question 3

Which hemisphere is dominant for visual-motor tasks?

Answer 3

• Right Hemisphere

Question 4

What enables both hemispheres to communicate?

Answer 4

• Corpus Callosum

Question 5

State the 1st strength of Hemispheric Lateralisation

Answer 5

Related to increased neural capacity

• Using 1 hemisphere to engage in particular task = Other hemisphere to engage in another function
• Provides evidence that brain lateralisation enhances brain efficiency in cognitive tasks.
• Example:
• Rogers et al
• Chicken brain lateralisation associated with enhances ability to perform two tasks simultaneously

Question 6

State the 1st limitation of Hemispheric Lateralisation

Answer 6

• Lateralisation and immune system functioning
• Mathematically gifted & left handers have superior right-hemispheric skills
• Also have greater problems with immune system
• Morfit & Weekes (20021) support this suggestion :
  > Left- handers have higher incidence of immune system than right handers

Question 7

State the 2nd limitation of Hemispheric Lateralisation

Answer 7

• Lateralisation changes with age
• Doesn’t stay the same throughout individuals lifetime
• Szaflarski et al discovered:
  > Language became more lateralised to left hemisphere with increasing age in children
  > After age 25, lateralisation decreases