Psychology 9-1 GCSE - 

4.2.1 - Damasio et al (1994) The Return of Phineas Gage: Clues About the Brain from the Skull of a Famous Patient:

Aims - 

To investigate if areas other than the frontal lobe were damaged. 

Procedures - 

1. They took pictures and measurements of the skull and built a 3D replica of Gage's skull.

2. They measured the iron rod.

3. They measured the possible exit and entry points for the iron rod. 

4. Found 5 most likely paths and mapped out damaged areas in each case.

Results - 

• Found that it was likely to have been damage in both hemispheres of the frontal lobe.
• Confidently assumed that the frontal lobe was only damaged.
• Found that the white matter in the left hemisphere had more damage caused to it. 

Conclusion - 

The ventromedial area of the frontal lobe seems to be important for making sensible decisions and for controlling our impulses. Gage found these things difficult after his injury, and evidence suggests people with the same injury did too. 

Strengths - 

• Scientific understanding increased.
• Modern day technology was used to investigate.
• Able to make predictions with patients with damaged frontal lobes. 

Weaknesses - 

• It uses information from reports that are over 150 years old.
• Brain damage was unique to one person, small sample size.
• Not generalizable.