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Summary psychology- localisation of Functions in the Brain AO3
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These are my online notes about "Localisation of Functions in the Brain AO3" based on A Level AQA Psychology's "Biopsychology" topic.
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Localisation of Function in the Brain (AO3)There is research support to prove the existence of Broca’s and Wernicke’s area in the brain.
To demonstrate, there were brain scans on participants conducted by Petersen et. al (1988)
that showed that the Wernicke’s area was used during listening comprehension skills but the
Broca’s area was used during reading tasks based on a book they read for both tasks as
they got their brains scanned.
However it could be argued that this is biologically reductionist, as we learn languages
through our environment as a stimuli which shapes our brain and the studies focus on the
brain singularity too much.
This shows that there are different parts of the brain that do different functions, therefore
speech is localised, and that the brain isn’t holistic.
There is neurological evidence that the brain is localised.
To demonstrate Walter Freeman developed lobotomy but severed the connections within the
frontal lobe to control aggressive behaviour in different patients during the 1950s, which
successfully reduced their aggressive behaviour later on.
On the other hand it could be said that it is biologically deterministic because you have the
free will to control your aggression and your actions, rather than only your brain that controls
your behaviour biologically.
(another issue and debate: it’s unethical to do lobotomies)
Therefore, the lobotomies providing neurological evidence suggests that the symptoms for
mental health disorders are localised in different parts of the brain.
There is real life evidence that the brain is localised.
For instance, a 25 year old man called Phineas Gage was working to create a railway line in
1848, however an explosion made a pole pierce through his left cheek, left eye connection
and his top of the skull, because of him accidentally hitting an explosive device. Although
Gage miraculously survived he became more aggressive and angry easily as a result of the
explosion, rather than his previous calm and friendlier personality.
However it could be said that the real life situation of Gage takes an idiographic approach
because his situation was very unique and yet the results from his situation can’t be
generalised to a wider audience.
This shows that the frontal lobe is in charge of regulating the mood, which shows that the
different parts of the brain are localised to perform different functions.
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