GCSE Psychology 9-1

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 sa

Psychology 9-1 GCSE -  4.1.1 - Know the structure and function of the brain, including: a) Temporal -  This is located on the bottom section of the brain. This is also the location of the primary auditory cortex, which is important for interpreting sounds and the language we hear. This portion of the brain is also heavily associated with the formation of memories. Damage here can lead to problems with memory, speech perception and language skills.  b) Occupital -  This is located at the back portion of the brain. It is associated with interpreting visual stimuli and information. Damage here can cause visual problems such as difficulty recognising objects, inability to identify colours and trouble recognising words. c) Frontal -  This is located at the front of the brain, it is associated with reasoning, motor skills, higher level cognition and expressive language. Damage to the frontal lobe can result in changes in sexual habits, socialisation, attention and increased ri