Brain and Behavior (Ch. 10)

Amplitude

The height of a sound wave, which determines its loudness.

Amusia

The inability to perceive or produce musical tones, often called “tone deafness.”

Aphasia

A language disorder affecting speaking, understanding, reading, or writing due to brain damage.

Basilar Membrane

A structure in the cochlea that vibrates to different frequencies, helping with sound perception.

Broca’s Area

A brain region responsible for speech production and language processing.

Cochlea

A spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear that converts sound waves into nerve signals.

Cochlear Implant

A device that stimulates the auditory nerve to provide a sense of sound to people with hearing loss.

Decibel (dB)

A unit of measurement for the intensity, or loudness, of sound.

Echolocation

The use of sound echoes to locate objects, often used by animals like bats and dolphins.

Frequency

The number of sound wave cycles per second, determining the pitch of a sound.

Hair Cell

Sensory cells in the cochlea that detect sound vibrations and convert them into nerve impulses.

Hertz (Hz)

The unit of frequency measurement, representing cycles per second.

Lateralization

The specialization of functions in either the left or right hemisphere of the brain.

Medial Geniculate Nucleus (MGN)

A relay center in the thalamus that processes auditory information before it reaches the auditory cortex.

Ossicle

Small bones in the middle ear (hammer, anvil, stirrup) that amplify sound vibrations to the inner ear.

Otoacoustic Emissions

Sounds produced by the inner ear that can be used to test hearing.

Primary Auditory Cortex (Area A1)

The main brain region for processing sounds, located in the temporal lobe.

Prosody

The rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech, which conveys emotion and meaning.

Sound Wave

vibration that travels through a medium (like air) and can be heard when it reaches the ear.

Supplementary Speech Area

A brain area involved in planning speech and coordinating movements.

Wernicke’s Area

A brain region important for understanding language and producing meaningful speech.

What is Broca’s Area responsible for?

speech production

What results from damage to Broca’s Area?

Broca’s Aphasia, where comprehension is intact but speech production is impaired.

What is Wernicke’s Area responsible for?

Comprehension and semantic meaning of speech.

What results from damage to Wernicke’s Area?

Wernicke’s Aphasia, where speech production is fluent but lacks semantic meaning.

What are some characteristics of language acquisition in the human brain?

It is universal and easily learned by children, and follows grammatical, syntactic, and semantic rules.

Define Grammar in the context of language rules.

It is rules about the structure of a language.

Define Syntax in the context of language rules.

Rules about where subjects, objects, and verbs go in sentences.

Define Semantics in language learning.

The meanings of words or symbols.

What is the Language Acquisition Device (LAD)?

A theoretical brain mechanism that enables children to learn language.

What area of the brain is active during language tasks?

Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, typically in the left hemisphere.

What is the lateralization of the auditory system?

Different functions of language and music are processed in specific hemispheres of the brain.

How is music activity lateralized in the brain?

Primarily in the right hemisphere for music-related tasks.

What role does the arcuate fasciculus play?

It connects Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area.

How does damage to the arcuate fasciculus affect language?

It may disrupt communication between language production and comprehension areas.

What is Broca’s Aphasia?

Condition where speech production is impaired but comprehension remains intact.

What is Wernicke’s Aphasia?

Condition where comprehension is impaired, and speech lacks meaningful content.

What part of the brain processes syntax?

Left hemisphere, typically Broca’s area.

What part of the brain processes semantics?

Primarily the left hemisphere, Wernicke’s area.

Why is language considered universal?

It is innate to humans and follows consistent structural rules.

How does music affect the brain similarly to language?

Both language and music use structures and rules that are processed by specific brain areas.

What is sound?

Mechanical energy resulting from air molecule displacement perceived as auditory waves.

What is frequency in sound?

Measured in Hertz (Hz), it indicates cycles per second and affects pitch.

What is amplitude in sound?

Relates to the height of sound waves and impacts loudness.

What is sound complexity?

An interaction between frequency and amplitude creating a sound’s unique timbre.

How does sound frequency affect language?

Variations in it help convey pitch and emotional tone.

How does sound frequency affect music?

Structured frequency variations evoke specific emotional responses.

What is the main idea behind the properties of sound?

Sound properties create perceptual experiences processed by the brain to interpret meaning.

Define the term ‘timbre.’

The unique quality or color of a sound created by its complexity.

How is sound amplitude measured?

In decibels (dB), correlating with loudness.

What role does amplitude play in language?

Variations in amplitude can emphasize certain words or phrases.

How does sound complexity contribute to music?

Complexity in sound waves creates harmony and distinguishes different instruments.

What is the purpose of sound wave properties in music?

They convey specific tones, pitches, and emotions.

What property of sound waves corresponds to pitch?

Frequency

What physical property of sound waves is important for loudness?

Amplitude

What property of sound affects timbre?

The interaction of frequency and amplitude, creating complexity.

Describe the significance of pitch in language.

Helps convey questions, statements, and emotional tone.

Describe the role of complexity in musical experience.

Creates unique sounds and musical textures.

What is one way music and language are similar in brain processing?

Both rely on the interpretation of structured sound properties like pitch and loudness.

How does delivery speed impact sound interpretation?

The speed of sound segments can help distinguish speech and music.

What are some examples of emotional cues conveyed through sound in music?

Pitch, loudness, and complexity variations can evoke feelings of joy, sadness, or tension.

How are sound waves formed?

Through vibrating objects that cause the surrounding medium, like air, to oscillate.

What are the three properties of sound analyzed by the auditory system?

Frequency, amplitude, and complexity.

What units are used to measure frequency, and what sound property does it correspond to?

Measured in Hertz (Hz), corresponding to pitch.

What does the complexity of sound waves create?

The unique timbre or quality of each sound.

Why is frequency important in sound perception?

It determines the pitch of the sound, which is essential for distinguishing different tones.

How does amplitude influence the experience of sound?

It affects the loudness, making sound waves more or less intense.

What role does complexity play in sound perception?

It combines frequency and amplitude to create distinct sounds, like different musical instruments.

How do sound waves travel to the brain?

Sound waves are converted into neural signals by hair cells in the cochlea and processed by the auditory cortex.

What are the primary structures in the ear involved in sound transduction?

The cochlea, auditory nerve, and auditory cortex.

What part of the ear amplifies sound waves?

The middle ear bones (ossicles).

What is the function of the cochlea in hearing?

Converts mechanical sound waves into neural signals.

Why is understanding sound wave properties important in language and music?

It helps explain how different sounds are perceived and processed for meaning and emotion.

How does the auditory system process complex sounds?

By analyzing frequency, amplitude, and timbre.

Describe the significance of dB in sound measurement.

Decibels measure loudness, which helps distinguish between quiet and loud sounds.

What is the role of the auditory cortex?

Processes sound information from the cochlea for recognition and interpretation.

How does pitch variation affect speech perception?

It conveys intonation and emotional cues.

Why is timbre important in distinguishing sounds?

It allows us to differentiate between sounds with the same pitch and loudness but different qualities.

How do humans perceive loudness?

Through amplitude, with louder sounds having higher decibels.

What is the relationship between sound properties and meaning interpretation?

The brain uses sound properties to create perceptual experiences that are interpreted as meaning.

What causes the eardrum to vibrate?

Incoming sound wave energy.

What structures in the middle ear amplify sound vibrations?

Ossicles: the hammer, anvil, and stirrup.

What is the main function of the inner ear?

Contains the cochlea and organ of Corti, which transduce sound into neural signals.

What is the pathway of sound from the ear to the brain?

Ear canal -> eardrum -> ossicles -> cochlea -> auditory nerve -> brainstem -> auditory cortex.

How does the auditory nerve transmit sound information?

Carries signals from the cochlea to the brainstem and then to the auditory cortex.

Describe the asymmetry of the auditory cortex.

The left hemisphere specializes in processing speech and language, while the right hemisphere focuses on music perception.

What role do the ossicles play in hearing?

They amplify vibrations from the eardrum to the cochlea.

What is the function of hair cells in the cochlea?

Convert sound vibrations into neural signals.

What are the three major parts of the ear?

Outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear.

What is the role of the auditory cortex in sound processing?

It processes and interprets sound information, distinguishing speech, music, and other sounds.

What is the function of the pinna in the ear?

Helps capture sound waves and direct them into the ear canal.

How does sound travel through the cochlea?

Sound vibrations cause cochlear fluid movement, which displaces hair cells along the basilar membrane.

What part of the ear is involved in transducing sound waves?

The organ of Corti within the cochlea.

How do high and low frequencies affect the basilar membrane?

High frequencies vibrate the base, while low frequencies vibrate the apex.

What structure connects the ear to the brain for auditory processing?

The auditory nerve.

Describe the function of the eardrum.

It vibrates in response to sound waves, initiating the process of hearing.

What role does the cochlea play in the auditory pathway?

It transduces sound into neural signals that the brain interprets.

How does asymmetry in the auditory cortex affect music processing?

The right hemisphere is more specialized for music, aiding in the perception of rhythm and melody.

What is the organ of Corti?

A structure in the cochlea containing hair cells that detect sound vibrations.

Why is the cochlea considered critical for hearing?

It contains hair cells that transform sound waves into signals the brain can understand.