Localisation of function Flashcards
What is localisation of function?
The idea that different areas of the brain perform different functions
Where is Broca’s area located?
Left frontal lobe
What is the function of Broca’s area?
Speech production
Where is Wernickes area located?
Left temporal lobe
What is the function of Wernickes area?
Speech comprehension
Where is the motor area located?
Frontal lobe
What is the function of the motor area?
Voluntary movements
Where is the somatosensory area?
Parietal lobe
What is the function of the somatosensory area?
Receives incoming sensory information from the skin to produce sensations related to pressure, pain etc
Where is the visual area?
Occipital lobe
What is the function of the visual area?
Receives and processes visual information
Where is the auditory area?
Temporal lobe
What is the function of the auditory area?
Analysing and processing acoustic information
Evaluate localisation of function: evidence from case studies
Plenty of evidence from case studies to support
Patient Tan - could only say Tan , highlights that there was an issue with Broca’s area, Broca’s aphasia
Provides evidence for localisation of function
Evaluate: criticisms
The claim that functions are localised to certain areas of the brain has been criticised
Lashley proposed equipotentiality theory - basic motor and sensory functions are localised, higher mental functions are not
Critics like Lashley argue that theories of localisation are biologically reductionist and try to reduce very complex human behaviours
This therefore casts doubt on theories about the localisation of function
Evaluate: gender bias
Some psychologists argue that the idea of localisation fails to take into account individual differences
Herasty (1997) - women have proportionally larger Broca and Wernickes areas than men, which can explain the greater ease of language use amongst women
This suggests a level of beta bias in the theory as differences between women and men are ignored
Therefore we are unable to generalise research examining localisation of function to males and females equally, as the different brain structures suggest that different considerations are required when considering the different sexes
