L7- Lateralisation of function Flashcards
Explain lateralisation of function.
Is the idea that the 2 hemispheres of the brain have different specialisations.
- right hemisphere is responsible for left side of the body and vice versa.
- studies have found the left hemisphere is dominant for language centres whereas right hemisphere for visual centres.
- the 2 hemisphere are connected by a bundle or nerve fibres called corpus callosum.
Advantage or lateralisation of function?
+ of brain lateralisation is that it increases neural processing capacity, which is adaptive:
- By using one hemisphere to engage in a particular task the other is left free to engage in another function.
- Rogers found that lateralisation in chickens is associated with an ability to perform 2 task simultaneously.
Weakness of lateralisation of function?
JW developed the capacity to speak using his right hemisphere, with the result that they could speak about information presented to the left or right hemisphere.
- it would appear that there are individual differences in how the brain functions.
What are split brain patients.
Patients who have undergone a surgery where surgeons have cut the corpus callosum in order to prevent the violent electrical activity caused by epileptic seizures crossing from one hemisphere to the other.
What did Sperry and Gazzaniga do?
They investigated split-brain patients.
- information from the left visual field goes into the right hemisphere and vice versa.
- as the corpus callosum has been severed there is no way for the information presented to one hemisphere to travel to the other.
Split-brain research evaluation.
- Difficult to generalise: many studies have as few as 3 pps.
- lacks ecological validity as in the real work a severed corpus callosum can be compensated for by the unrestricted use of both visual fields.
- Can’t be generalised to target population as the disconnection between hemispheres is greater im some patients. Patients who have drug therapy for longer affects how their brain works etc.
