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Module 1.4c

Although the left hemisphere is skilled at making quick, literal interpretations of lan-
guage, the right hemisphere
• excels at making inferences (Beeman & Chiarello, 1998; Bowden & Beeman, 1998; Mason
& Just, 2004). When given an insight-like problem — “Which word goes with boot, sum-
mer, and ground?” — the right hemisphere more quickly comes to a reasoned conclusion
and recognizes the solution: camp. As one patient explained after a right hemisphere
stroke, “I understand words, but I’m missing the subtleties.”
• helps us modulate our speech to make meaning clear — as when we say, “Let’s eat, AP Exam Tip
®
Grandpa!” instead of “Let’s eat Grandpa!” (Heller, 1990).
• helps orchestrate our self-awareness. People who suffer partial paralysis will sometimes Notice that your authors never
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Not for redistribution.
stubbornly deny their impairment — constantly claiming they can move a paralyzed refer to your left brain or your
limb — if the damage occurs to the right hemisphere (Berti et al., 2005). right brain. You have two brain
hemispheres, each with its own
responsibilities, but you have only
Simply looking at the two hemispheres, so alike to the naked eye, who would sup- one brain. It’s very misleading
Copyright © Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
pose they each contribute uniquely to the harmony of the whole? Yet a variety of when the popular press refers to
observations — of people with split brains, of people with healthy brains, and even of other the left brain and the right brain.
®
species’ brains — converge beautifully, leaving little doubt that we have unified brains with When studying for the AP exam,
avoid psychology myths.
specialized parts (Hopkins & Cantalupo, 2008; MacNeilage et al., 2009).

Module 1.4c REVIEW

1.4-8 To what extent can a damaged brain 1.4-9 What do split brains reveal about the
reorganize itself, and what is neurogenesis? functions of our two brain hemispheres?

• While brain and spinal cord neurons usually do not re- • Split-brain research (experiments on people with a sev-
generate, some neural tissue can reorganize in response ered corpus callosum) has confirmed that in most people,
to damage. the left hemisphere is the more verbal. The right hemi-
• The damaged brain may demonstrate neuroplasticity, es- sphere excels in visual perception and making inferences,
pecially in young children, as new pathways are built and and helps us modulate our speech and orchestrate our
functions migrate to other brain regions. self-awareness.
• Reassignment of functions to different areas of the brain • Studies of the intact brain in healthy people confirm that
may also occur in blindness and deafness, or as a result of each hemisphere makes unique contributions to the inte-
damage and disease. grated functioning of the whole brain.
• Some research suggests that the brain may sometimes
mend itself by forming new neurons, a process known as
neurogenesis.

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AP Practice Multiple Choice Questions

1. Nan was in a car accident, which resulted in brain dam- 2. Dr. Cantor studies neurogenesis, to understand how
age. However, some of her brain areas took over the a. one brain structure takes on the functions of an
function of the damaged area, thanks to the role of adjacent structure.
a. lesioning. b. the brain creates new neurons.
b. positron emission training. c. association areas expand as new material is learned.
c. neuroplasticity. d. the brain adapts to new learning.
d. the split brain.

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