localisation of function

• localisation

  Different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours/processes/activities
• 4 lobes in the brain

  -frontal lobe

  -parietal lobe

  -temporal lobe

  -occipital lobe

  
• motor area

  -in the frontal lobe

  -responsible for (fine) voluntary movement

  -if damaged, can be loss of control over movements
• somatosensory area

  -in the parietal lobe

  -produces sensations linked to temperature, pain etc

  -if damaged, numbing/tingling sensations
• visual area

  -in the occipital lobe

  -sends visual info to the visual cortex

  -if damaged, can cause blindness (partial) in both eyes
• auditory area

  -in the temporal lobe

  -analyses speech-based info

  -if damaged, can cause a loss of hearing
• Broca's area

  -in left frontal lobe

  -speech production

  -if damaged, get Broca's aphasia (lack fluent speech)
• Wernicke's area

  -in left temporal lobe

  -language understanding/comprehension

  -if damaged, get Wernicke's aphasia (produce nonsense words but fluent)
• AO3

  Strength(s):

  -supporting evidence: neurosurgery. Targets specific parts of the brain to treat mental disorders (linked to damaged areas of the brain). Dougherty et al (2002): ppts who had surgery for OCD had decreased symptoms. Increases validity.

  -case study: Phineas Gage. Freak accident, lost most of FL, personality changed. Increases validity. HOWEVER, case study = not representative, lack population validity. Can't apply to LOF.

  
  

  Weakness(es):

  -language may not be localised to B+W. 2% of researchers think other parts of the brain are involved in language. fMRIs = language is distributed in the brain. Contradicts & decreases validity of LOF.