case study of H.M (cognitive psychology pack 1) Flashcards
What happened to H.M at 7?
knocked down by a bike and had minor epileptic seizures at age 10
major seizures at age 16
What happened to H.M aged 27
did work on assembly line but they had become so severe that he could not lead a normal life
was very socially isolated
who monitored H.M?
William Scoville
What was the procedure offered to H.M called?
bilateral mesial temporal lobe resection
2/3 of hippocampus removed
how did the surgery effect H.M?
controlled his epilepsy and severity of seizures
serious affects on his memory
What was the aim of H.M’s study?
find out the effects of his brain surgery on his functioning, in particular, his memory
what methods were used to study H.M
observation
interviews
IQ tests
MRI scans of his brain during lifetime and after death
how long was the study for?
from 1957 to 2008
what were some results found?
henry’s memories up to the age of 16 were still intact but could not remember new information
3 negative ways his memory was affected
he forgot daily events straight away
he underestimated his own age
he could not recognise hospital staff
3 ways his memory was NOT affected?
he had normal intelligence levels and his personality stayed the same
he exhibited an intact digit span (STM not impaired)
he could acquire new motor skills
two conclusions from this case study?
- The medial temporal lobe is important for memory
- memory is not a single faculty instead there are multiple memory systems in the brain
