| how many hemispheres make up the cerebral cortex? | 2 hemispheres |
| what does bilateral mean? | means hearing and seeing
most things in the body are bilateral |
| what are the connections between hemispheres? | corpus callosum
and commissures |
| what are the contralateral connections in the brain? | left hemisphere controls right side of the body
right hemisphere controls left side of the body |
| what are the auditory connections in the brain? | 1. ear
2. cochlea nucleus
3. primary auditory cortex |
| left visual field? | leads to neural activations in both eyes - this then goes to the right hemisphere |
| right visual field? | leads to activation of the left hemisphere - visual is on the left side of both eyes |
| how can we see through both eyes? | different neurons are activated in the retina depending on the incoming angle (from object to eye) optic chiasm |
| what is lateralisation in the brain? | certain processes are more highly developed on one side of brain than other
left hemisphere: language
right hemisphere: emotional content, face recognition, spatial ability |
| Right-hemisphere hypothesis: | the right hemisphere is dominant for emotion recognition |
| Valence hypothesis: | the right hemisphere is dominant for negative emotions, the left is for positive emotions |
| Attention: | spatial ability --> right hemisphere dominance --> where i am and the physical environment |
| when attention goes wrong: | damages to the right hemisphere
right parietal cortex:
neglect of the body on the left side
right temporal cortex:
neglect if surroundings on the left side |
| split brain patients | the corpus callosum is cut
almost no communication between hemispheres
info presented in 1 hemisphere is not interpreted by the other |
| language --> speech | speech: most efficient type of language
long distances
without seeing
to get quick attention |
| source-filter model of speech production | source: vocal cords of larynx
transforms aerodynamic energy to sound waves
filter: subpharyngeal cavity
filters sounds (important for vowel productions) |
| why do humans only speak? | limitations in relevant speech production in other animals
Larynx position: lower position in humans --> more flexible
vocal and motor control: advanced, voluntary
breathing control: advanced vocal flow |
| what are some speech/language components? | semantics = significance (meaning)
syntax = rules and principles (grammar)
prosody = rhythm, stress, intonation (melody) |
| Broca's area: | left frontal cortex
language production - speaking writing, gesturing, sign lang
comprehending = grammar |
| Wernicke's area | left temporal cortex
language comprehension = overall comprehension, finding the right words |
| why did language evolve? | info exchange
social aspect of language |
| traditional view of language: | info exchange
informing about environment
e.g. in macaques - diff alarm calls |
| recent view of language: | social aspect of language
exchange social info
e.g. behaviours promote social cohesion in chimps |
