Sperry (1968) - Split Brain

Question 1

What are the left and right hemispheres of the brain responsible for?

Answer 1

• Left - language, logic and problem solving; controls right side of body
• Right - creativity, spatial awareness and emotion; controls left side of body

Question 2

Sperry - Hypotheses

Answer 2

• Each hemisphere of the brain possesses an independent stream of consciousness awareness
• Each hemisphere of the brain has its own separate chain of memories that are inaccessible to the other

Question 3

Sperry - Method

Answer 3

• Quasi experiment
• IV - whether p had received a hemisphere disconnection procedure or were neurotypical
• DV - p’s ability to perform a variety of visual and tactile tests
• No control group however due to the abilities and visual fields of non-split brain individuals already being known

Question 4

Sperry - Sample

Answer 4

• Opportunity sample - Sperry asked patients who had undergone a hemispheric disconnection and had the surgery more than 4 years prior to the study
• 11 patients from America who had received the procedure in order to tame their epilepsy
• 9/11 patients had their surgery not too long before the study was conducted

Question 5

Sperry - Materials

Answer 5

• Tachistoscope
• Cover for eye in visual task
• Translucent screen
• Objects in tactile test e.g. a ring
• Pen and paper for drawing/writing

Question 6

Sperry - Procedure: Visual Task

Answer 6

• P centred their gaze on a fixation point in the centre of an upright translucent screen (with one eye covered)
• Visual stimuli on 35mm transparencies were arragned in a standard projector and were then back-projected at 1/10 of a second or less