Lecture 5: Variations in Cerebral Asymmetry Flashcards
Effect Size
a process for quantifying how well statistical significance measures behavioral differences over a range of contexts by calculating the difference between the mean of an experimental group and control group as a proportion of a standard deviation in performance
What is the hemispheric localization of aphasia and apraxia?
almost always a consequence of LEFT hemisphere damage
What is the hemispheric localization of hemineglect and prosopagnosia?
almost always follows RIGHT hemisphere damage
What is the functional cerebral organization in left-handers?
~10% of population is left-handed
majority of left-handers have left lateralized speech
Wada technique & aphasia studies
70% LH; 15% RH; 15% bilaterally
What is the behavioral utility theory of hand preference?
proposes left hand better for certain activities (e.g., holding a shield or holding a baby)
cause or consequence?
What is the environmental reinforcement theory of hand preference?
bias in environment (e.g., learning to write, swing a bat)
What is the genetic bias theory of hand preference?
there is a genetic bias toward right-handedness
linked to hemispheric language development
What is the environmental accident theory of hand preference?
left-handedness develops through a cerebral deficit
larger incidence of left-handedness among children with neurological disorders
left hemisphere damage - plasticity
What are gender differences in motor skills?
men superior at throwing and intercepting objects
women superior at fine motor tasks & intricate hand movements
both present in young children (3 years old)
What are gender differences in mathematical aptitude?
men superior at mathematical reasoning
women superior at computation
Benbow & Stanley (1980 compared to 2000) - 7th graders - 13:1 to 4:1 (boys:girls)
What are gender differences in perception?
women more sensitive to all sensory stimuli, except vision (facial expressions & body posture)
lower thresholds & greater speed
What are gender differences in spatial analysis?
men superior at mental rotation & spatial navigation (route knowledge)
women superior at spatial memory (landmarks & changes)
may be related to how spatial information is used (i.e., required output behavior)
What are gender differences in mental rotation?
female performance improves when human figures used instead of standard block figures
uses more STS stream (biological motion, intentionality of actions)
What is the asymmetry in the planum temporale between genders?
larger left, than right, found more often in males
What is the asymmetry in the sylvian fissure between genders?
larger asymmetry in males
longer horizontal section in left hemisphere, compared to women
