split brain research

Question 1

Sperry and Gazzaniga (1967)

Answer 1

were the first to investigate hemispheric lateralization with the use of split-brain patients.

Question 2

split-brain patients

Answer 2

• individuals who have undergone a surgical procedure where the corpus callosum, which connects the two hemispheres, is cut.
• this procedure, which separates the two hemispheres, was used as a treatment for severe epilepsy.

Question 3

AIM Sperry and Gazzaniga (1967)

Answer 3

• examine the extent to which the two hemispheres are specialized for certain functions.

Question 4

CONCLUSION Sperry and Gazzaniga (1967)

Answer 4

• research highlights a number of key differences between the two hemispheres
• The left hemisphere is dominant in terms of speech and language
• the right hemisphere is dominant in terms of visual-motor tasks.

Question 5

METHOD Sperry and Gazzaniga (1967)

Answer 5

An image/word is projected to the patient’s left visual field.

• When information is presented to one hemisphere in a split-brain patient, the information is not transferred to the other hemisphere (as the corpus callosum is cut).

1. DESCRIBE what you see task, a picture was presented to either the left or right visual field and the participant had to simply describe what they saw.
2. TACTILE, an object was placed in the patient’s left or right hand and they had to either describe what they felt or select a similar object from a series of alternate objects.
3. DRAWING, participants were presented with a picture in either their left or right visual field, and they had to simply draw what they saw.