FREE ESSAY ON SPLIT BRAIN RESEARCH

SPLIT BRAIN RESEARCH

Chad Stein
PS 101
Dr. Rom
1. Gazzaniga, M.S. One Brain or Two? Scientific American. 1967. Rpt. In Forty Studies
That Changed Psychology. Ed. Roger R. Hock. Engewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1995. 2-11.
2. This article dealt with experiments that showed the different functions of the right
and left hemisphere of the brain. It also described the functions of the left and right
hemisphere. Your left brain is better at speaking, writing, mathematical calculations,
and reading, and is the primary center for language. Your right hemisphere, posses
superior capabilities for recognizing faces, solving problems involving spatial
relationships, symbolic reasoning, and artistic activities(9). The experiments were done
to find how each hemisphere of the brain process information. To do this the corpus
callosum was severed. This made it impossible for the two hemispheres of the brain to
communicate with each other. When the corpus callosum is severed it is referred to as the
split brain effect. The tests that were performed on the individuals fell into three
fields: they were sight, hearing, and touch. All the tests showed that the above is true
concerning the functions of each hemisphere of the brain. The problem that the author was
addressing was the fact that the two hemispheres of the brain communicate with each
other, and if the communication is destroyed then the functions could be handled by one
hemisphere better then the two combined. These experiments proved that there was a
dominance in each hemisphere of the brain to perform certain tasks. Even though a
connected brain can perform the tasks of both sides.
3. I think that the experiment showed exactly what it set out to do. Show that the
separate hemispheres of the brain perform different tasks. It also showed that the brain
is capable of performing these tasks even when the corpus callosum has been severed.
Although some tasks are performed better when the brain is able to communicate between
the hemispheres. 
4. The effects on psychology are many. For instance this research helps people understand
the different parts of the brain, and how they work. Also when injuries occur to the
brain psychologist can determine what the possible effects of the person will be.
Finally, psychologist will have a better understanding of how the human brain works.