Cognitive Function and Language Flashcards

Flashcards about Cognitive Function, Lateralization, Language, Brain Areas, Consciousness and Attention

Lateralization

Division of labor between the two hemispheres of the brain.

Left Hemisphere

The left hemisphere connects to skin receptors and muscles on the RIGHT side of the body.

Right Hemisphere

The right hemisphere connects to skin receptors and muscles on the LEFT side of the body.

Corpus Callosum

A large bundle of nerve fibers that connect the left and right hemispheres of the brain, facilitating communication between them.

Epilepsy

Frequent seizures that affect the brain.

High Productivity (in language)

The ability to improvise new combinations of signals to represent new ideas.

Recursive (language)

A mechanism that enables productivity in language by embedding elements within similar elements, allowing for infinitely nested structures.

Williams Syndrome

Characterized by intellectual disability, but a skillful use of language due to deletion of several genes from chromosome.

Chomsky and Pinker's Language Theory

Proposed humans have a language acquisition device, and a built-in mechanism for acquiring language.

Broca's Area (Expressive Aphasia)

Left frontal lobe near motor cortex, involved in speech production and articulation. Damage results in trouble speaking and understanding the same kinds of words they omit when speaking.

Wernicke's Area (Receptive Aphasia)

Left temporal lobe, involved in speech comprehension. Damage leads to trouble understanding, poor language comprehension, and poor memory of names and objects.

Dyslexia

Trouble mapping letters to sounds, poor auditory memory, and impaired eye movements during reading.

Identity Position (Mind-Brain Relationship)

Mental activity and brain activity are the same but described in different terms.

Consciousness

Associated with vigorous activity in the cerebral cortex and requires integration of information.

Bottom-up Attention

Something grabs your attention.

Top-down Attention

Intention (looking for someone in the crowd). Utilizing prefrontal and parietal cortex.

Inattentional Blindness (Change Blindness)

If something in a complex scene changes slowly or changes while you blink your eyes, you are unaware of it unless you are paying particular attention to the objects that change.