Sperry, R.W. (1968)
Hemisphere deconnection and unity in consciousness. American Psychologist, 23, 723-33.
Explain what is meant by a ‘split-brain’.
For what reason did people have this operation?
NOTE: The 11 subjects who took part in this study had undergone this operation for the reasons you have outlined above - NOT for the sake of the experiment!
Why do you think these people are of so much interest to psychologists?
Explain the techniques used by Sperry to present information to only one side of the brain.
Read the results section of this article and then answer the following questions:
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1) If a subject was presented with an image in one half of their visual field and then the same image was re-shown to the other half of the visual field - did they recognise this as something they had seen before? Explain your answer. 2) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates the language limitations of the right hemisphere of the brain. 3) Give one piece of evidence that illustrates that this same hemisphere is not completely word blind. 4) Two symbols are presented simultaneously, one to each side of the brain. £ to right visual field $ to left visual field The subjects hands are screened from sight. If asked to draw with left hand what they have just seen - which symbol will they draw? If asked what they have just drawn, what will they reply? Explain why this happens. 5) Subjects have their hands screened from sight and an object placed in their right hand. They are asked to search for the object with their right hand. Can they find it? Why? 6) If an object if put in the left hand (screened) what is the person not able to do? |
What did Sperry find in tasks requiring parallel responses?
Explain how the patients coped with this lack of communication between the hemispheres in everyday life?
Would it be appropriate to make generalisations about normal brain functioning from these studies? Explain your answer.