Hemispheric Specialisation

1. Lesson 2: Hemispheric
Specialisation

2. From Last Lesson.....
Question 1
When a basketballer shoots for a goal, which part of the brain sends the message instructing
her to raise her shooting arm?
A. the somatosensory cortex
B. the prefrontal lobe
C. the occipital lobe
D. the motor cortex
Question 2
a. The deeply furrowed or grooved layer of tissue that covers the cerebral hemispheres
is known as the ______________(1 mark)
b. List two main functions of this grooved layer of tissue. (2 marks)

3. Question 1
When a basketballer shoots for a goal, which part of the brain sends the message instructing her
to raise her shooting arm?
A. the somatosensory cortex
B. the prefrontal lobe
C. the occipital lobe
D. the motor cortex

4. Question 2
a. The deeply furrowed or grooved layer of tissue that covers the cerebral
hemispheres is known as the Cerebral cortex (1 mark)
b. List two main functions of this grooved layer of tissue. (2 marks)
Functions include:
• primary sensory functions/processing of sensory information
• motor coordination and control/processing of motor information
• ‘higher mental processes’ of language, thinking and problem solving
• facilitating most of the integrative, coordinated behaviours
• information processing within lobes, including perception, cognition and
memory
• integration of information among lobes in association areas
• personality.
Examiner comments:
This question was not well answered. Because of the wording of the question, one
mark was awarded for a statement explaining the purpose of the grooving, such as
‘the function of the furrowing and grooving is to increase the surface area (or
volume) – thereby increasing blood flow/oxygen or energy supply/number of
neurons’.

5. This lesson....
• Define the term 'Hemispheric specialisation'
• Explain the cognitive and behavioural
functions of the right and left hemispheres of
the cerebral cortex, non-verbal versus verbal
and analytical functions

6. Hemispheric
Specialisation
The idea that one hemisphere has specialised
functions, or that it exerts greater control over a
particular function. It is also known as hemispheric
dominance and hemispheric lateralisation.
In reality both the left and right hemispheres
are involved in nearly all functions.

8. The Left Hemisphere
The left hemisphere specialises in verbal and analytical
functions.
Verbal functions involve the use or recognition of
words eg. reading, writing, speaking and
understanding speech.
Analytical functions involve breaking down a task into its
key parts and approaching it in a sequential ,‘step by step’
way, as is required when using logical reasoning to
interpret and apply a formula to solve a maths problem.

9. The right Hemisphere
The right hemisphere specialises in non-
verbal functions that are not dependent
on language skills eg. Spatial and visual
thinking such as completing a jigsaw
puzzle, reading a map, recognising faces
and tunes; appreciating music and
artworks; creativity; and fantasy eg
daydreaming.

10. Summary

11. ACTIVITY
Identify the cerebral hemisphere (left or
right) that specialises in the following
cognitive and behavioural functions
1.Appreciating the beauty of a forest
2.Judging whether a car will fit into a
parking bay.
3.Listening to someone speak
4. Kicking a football with your left foot

12. Research on hemispheric
specialisation
There are three main approaches to
conducting research on hemispheric
specialisation.
•Studying people with brain damage
•Studying people after a split brain
operation (see next lesson)
•Studying people with intact brains