Biopsychology: Lateralisation of Function NEW

Question 1

Define hemispheric lateralisation

Answer 1

The left and right hemisphere of the brain are responsible for different functions / The two hemispheres each have different functions and roles

Question 2

State two functions of the left hemisphere

Answer 2

Language
Controls the right-hand side of the body
Receives information from the right visual field
Logic

Question 3

Which two brain areas are in the left hemisphere that link to language?

Answer 3

Broca’s area
Wernicke’s area

Question 4

State two functions of the right hemisphere

Answer 4

Recognition of faces, places and objects
Creativity
Controls the left-hand side of the body
Receives information from the left visual field

Question 5

The right hemisphere can only produce rudimentary word and phrases but contributes to …

Answer 5

emotional context of what is being said

Question 6

What do we mean by contralateral wiring?

Answer 6

Where the hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body e.g. the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body

Question 7

Which functions are not lateralised as they are in both hemispheres?

Answer 7

Vision
Motor
Somatosensory areas

Question 8

How does EB contradict lateralisation?

Answer 8

EB regained some language despite having his left hemisphere removed, so language must be in more than the left hemisphere

Question 9

Why is the research to support hemispheric lateralisation criticised for individual differences?

Answer 9

The degree to which the corpus callosum was severed for each participant varied greatly, meaning there may still be some ability to communicate between the two hemispheres

Question 10

Which hemisphere is responsible for language and logic?

Answer 10

Left

Question 11

Which hemisphere is responsible for recognition and creativity?

Answer 11

Right

Question 12

Which hemisphere controls the right-hand side of the body?

Answer 12

Left

Question 13

Which hemisphere controls the left-hand side of the body?

Answer 13

Right

Question 14

Which hemisphere receives information from the right visual field?

Answer 14

Left

Question 15

Which hemisphere receives information from the left visual field?

Answer 15

Right

Question 16

The right hemisphere is responsible for recognition of…

Answer 16

Faces, places and objects

Question 17

Why is the left hemisphere responsible for language?

Answer 17

The two main language centres are located in the left hemisphere

Question 18

Which hemisphere can only produce rudimentary words and phrases?

Answer 18

Right hemisphere

Question 19

Which hemisphere contributes to the emotional context of what is being said?

Answer 19

Right hemisphere

Question 20

Why are the vision, motor and somatosensory areas NOT lateralised?

Answer 20

They occur in both hemispheres

Question 21

The left hemisphere receives information from the right visual field and controls the right side of the body.

What is this an example of?

Answer 21

Contralateral wiring

Question 22

The right hemisphere receives information from the left visual field and controls the left side of the body.

What is this an example of?

Answer 22

Contralateral wiring

Question 23

Give an example of contralateral wiring

Answer 23

The left hemisphere receives information from the right visual field and controls the right side of the body / The right hemisphere receives information from the left visual field and controls the left side of the body

Question 24

Who can we use as research to contradict hemispheric lateralisation?

Answer 24

Case study on patient EB

Question 25

What happened to patient EB?

Answer 25

Suffered from brain damage that resulted in the removal of his left hemisphere and therefore his language centres

Question 26

What was found about patient EB?

Answer 26

Despite having no left hemisphere, after some time he managed to regain some of his language ability which would not be possible if the brain was completely lateralised

Question 27

What does the research on patient EB demonstrate?

Answer 27

That language must be in more areas than just the left hemisphere

Question 28

Which research demonstrates that language must be in more areas than just the left hemisphere?

Answer 28

Case study on patient EB

Question 29

Why does the case study on patient EB demonstrate that language must be in more areas than just the left hemisphere?

Answer 29

Because EB managed to regain some of his language ability despite having his left hemisphere removed

Question 30

Why might it not be appropriate to generalise the findings on the lateralisation of function to the typical population?

Answer 30

Because unique case studies are used, where brain damage may have affected the way in which the brain functions and some individuals may be able to process language in the right hemisphere

Question 31

Research to contradict lateralisation of function lacks population validity. What does this suggest is needed before firm conclusions on lateralisation of language can be made?

Answer 31

More research with more diverse samples

Question 32

Who conducted research to support hemispheric lateralisation?

Answer 32

Sperry (1968)

Question 33

What did Sperry find when participants were shown an image of an object to their right visual field?

Answer 33

They could name it verbally but when presented to the left visual field they could not name it verbally but could identify the object through pointing

Question 34

How does Sperry's research support hemispheric lateralisation?

Answer 34

Because when participants were shown an image of an object to their right visual field they could name it verbally, but when presented to the left visual field they could not name it verbally but could identify the object through pointing

Question 35

What does Sperry's research support?

Answer 35

That the brain is lateralised and that the hemispheres are responsible for different functions, such as the left being responsible for language abilities

Question 36

Give one weakness of the research to support hemispheric lateralisation

Answer 36

Individual differences in the participants

Question 37

What is the evidence for individual differences being an issue in the research to support hemispheric lateralisation?

Answer 37

The degree to which the corpus callosum was severed for each participant varied greatly, with some having a greater disconnection between the two hemispheres than others

Question 38

Why is individual differences a weakness of the research to support hemispheric lateralisation?

Answer 38

Acts as a confounding variable and so the research may not be measuring the true effects of lateralisation

Question 39

Which research supports that the brain is lateralised and that the hemispheres are responsible for different functions?

Answer 39

Sperry (1968)

Question 40

Critics argue that individual differences was a confounding variable in the research to support hemispheric lateralisation. What is a consequence of this?

Answer 40

The research may not be measuring the true effects of lateralisation, reducing the internal validity of hemispheric lateralisation

Question 41

Sperry found that participants could name the object verbally when...

Answer 41

Objects were presented to the right visual field

Question 42

Sperry found that participants could not name the object verbally but could identify it through pointing when...

Answer 42

Objects were presented to the left visual field