split brain research

Question 1

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 1

Thick bundle of 200-300 million nerve fibers, connecting the left and right hemispheres

Question 2

Overview of the split Brain Studies by Sperry?

Answer 2

Research study on 11 patients who had their corpus callosum cut, to treat epilepsy

Question 3

What would patients be required to do?
What did Sperry find?

Answer 3

Either say they had seen and draw the object OR select from objects that were hidden from view with their hands
Information presented to the left hemisphere could be spoken, but not spoken if delivered to the right hemisphere
The right hemisphere could draw or select the object by using the left hand

Question 4

What does Sperry’s study suggest? (2)

Answer 4

The hemispheres are both capable of acting independently
Supporting the theory that language centres are in the left side of the brain

Question 5

How has research into split brain patients had a fundamental impact on? Suggesting..?

Answer 5

The psychological and philosophical understanding of both the unity of consciousness and identity
Suggesting that the brain is a combination of separate intelligent processes working together

Question 6

A limitation of split Brain research is the sample, explain!

Answer 6

Sample is small, ppts are compared to non-epileptics, had varying amounts of connection cut and all undergone drug therapy
Suggests some of the results may have been due to ppt variables, making the results ungeneralisable to the wider population

Question 7

A limitation of split Brain research is that it lacks mundane realism, explain!

Answer 7

Experimental procedure used is unlike how these individuals would process information and act in normal, day to day life
Low external validity
In real life, both hemispheres would have access to information by moving the head