Localization - Psychology | International Baccalaureate

Localization

A theory that claims different parts of the brain are responsible for different behaviours.

Strict Localization

Parts of the brain are strictly responsible for one behaviour.

Relative Localization

Several parts of the brain play a lesser role in a behaviour.

Distributive Processing

Behaviours are a result of several parts of the brain interacting.

Equipotentiality

Functional memories are transferred from a damaged area to another undamaged area of the brain.

Hippocampus

A structure in the brain that is responsible for forming new explicit memories, transferring short-term memories to long-term memories and spatial memories.

Empirical Evidence

Modern technology such as MRI and fMRI are used to investigate localization.

Application

Stroke patients can recover as it’s been discovered that functional memories can transfer from a damaged area of the brain to an unharmed part.

Maguire et al (2000)

Shows that spatial memory is located in the hippocampus.

Draganski (2004)

Shows that the medial temporal area, responsible for visual memory, increases in size when a new skill is learned.

H.M Case Study (1966)

Study that shows the hippocampus has a role in memory formation.