Localisation and Split Brain Research Flashcards
What does Hemispheric laterilsation mean?
What side of the brain does what?
What does research suggest about each hemisphere of the brain?
Each hemisphere may actually have its own specialism
what is the bunch of fibres that connects the two hemispheres together?
The Corbus Callosum
What psychologists did a key study in Split Brains in 1967?
Perry and Gazzaniga
What was the aim of Perry and Gazzanigas study?
To investigate the effects of hemisphere de-conection and show each hemisphere has different functions
What was the difference between the participants?
The participants were 11 ‘split-brain’ patients. The participants had all undergone hemisphere deconnection because they had a history of advanced epilepsy which could not be controlled by medication.
-There performance was compared with participants with no inter-hemisphere deconnection.
What were the patients asked to do?
The participant would be asked to look at a cross in the centre of the screen and then either draw or say what he they saw as thing were flashed to either the left or right hemisphere
What did the results show about the left and right hemispheres?
Left hemisphere is responsible for speech and language
Right hemisphere specialises in visual spatial processes and facial recognition
What are the limitations of the Split Brain research?
- Rarely carried out as the patients who have received this are rarely encounted in sufficient numbers
- Small sample size
What are the strengths of this research?
- Better for each side of the brain to be specialised (bilateral)
- No issue with cause and effect as we know the cutting of the corpus cellos causes symptoms of split brain
