Hemispheric Lateralisation and Split Brain Research

Question 1

What does hemispheric lateralisation mean

Answer 1

The two hemispheres of the brain are specialised for specific mental process’

Question 2

What is Split brain research

Answer 2

Research on people who have has their brain split in half
- by severing the corpus collosum

Question 3

Supporting evidence of lateralisation

Answer 3

the WADA test -
- the left hemisphere is under anaesthetic and then they ask pp to read aloud
-90% of people can’t
-showing language is lateralised to the left hemisphere

Question 4

Example of Split brain research

Answer 4

Sperry
-sample - pp who’ve had their corpus Collosum cut to stop epileptic seizures.
- cut main communication between two hemispheres

Procedure
-pic or word shown to right visual field (processed by LH) or left visual field (processed by RH)
- in normal brain corpus collosum would share info between LH and RH giving complete picture

Findings-
When image was shown the RVF pp could describe what they see But When shown to LVF they couldn’t.
Showing language is lateralised in the left hemisphere as your RVF is processed by LH. suggesting there’s no language centre in RH.

Question 5

Evaluation of split brain research

Answer 5

✖️- small sample of 11 pp can’t be generalise to wider population because they’re a unique group who’ve have their corpus collosum cut and all have epilepsy and therefore took drugs for it before which could have effected function of the brain.

✔️- quasi Experiment- IV is naturally occurring had brain split prior for epilepsy so no ethical issues.

-controlled, scientific lab experiment scans objective accurate and reliable avoid human error