Overview
Cognition includes thinking, problem solving, sensing and language. We use both hemispheres to perform these functions.
Brain localization is often overstated. Most people have language stored in the left hemisphere but it doesn’t mean that the right hemisphere isn’t also functioning. There are few clear-cut distinctions. We use the whole brain.
Language and thought are difficult to research. Much of our knowledge comes from individuals who have had injuries, strokes or other impairments. Putting together a coherent theory from a model of disable people is hard.
Pay particular attention to how language and intelligence are not as intertwined as most people believe.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
- Explain the importance, structure and functions of the corpus callosum
- Describe the relationship between brain activity and consciousness.
- Describe the relationship between music and language.
- Describe the lateralization of hemisphere funtions.
- Compare and contrast dyslexia and autism.
Readings
- Kalat C13
- Intelligence
Slides
Videos
Drug Paper
This should be a short term paper (5-10 pages, typed, APA format).
The goal is to help you apply neurological concepts and theories to everyday life. Select a drug (prescription or illicit) that is readily available, and describe its nature (natural or synthetic), manufacturer (how created), distribution (pill, shot, smoked), structure (crystals, powder), neuroreceptor targets, prevalence, effect (how makes user feel), potency, dosage, half-life, tolerance, sensitization, abuse (why), usefulness, withdrawal, side effect, and personal reaction (what you’ve learned). Five references from quality sources are required (NIH, Mayo, etc.).
Study Aids
Key Terms
- anomia
- aphasia
- apraxia
- backward masking
- binocular rivalry
- Broca’s aphasia (nonfluent aphasia)
- Broca’s area
- conscious
- corpus callosum
- dualism
- dyslexia
- epilepsy
- fhash suppression
- focus
- hard problem
- identity pooition
- inattentional blindness
- interpreter
- language acquisition device
- lateralization
- masking
- materialism
- mentalism
- mind-brain problem
- monism
- optic chiasm
- phi phenomenon
- phonological loop
- planum temporale
- productivity
- spatial neglect
- split-brain people
- Stroop effect
- visual field
- Wernicke’s aphasia (fluent aphasia)
- Wernicke’s area
- Williams syndrome
Links
- Neuroscience for Kids: Language Processing (Links to an external site.)
- Neuroscience for Kids: Dyslexia (Links to an external site.)
Summary
People are thinkers. We plan, create, reason, decide and solve problems. We are more than tool makers; we are inventors, philosophers and artists.