Forebrain, Modularity, and Lashley Experiments

Vocabulary flashcards covering key neuroscience and academic terms introduced in the lecture.

Forebrain

Front-most division of the vertebrate brain; in humans it is highly developed and handles language, reasoning, explicit memories, and working memory.

Midbrain

Central section of the brainstem that, together with the forebrain and hindbrain, forms the basic vertebrate brain framework.

Hindbrain

Posterior part of the brain—including medulla, pons, and cerebellum—responsible for vital life functions and motor coordination.

Vertebrates

Animals with backbones; all share the fundamental brain divisions of forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain.

Higher-order processing

Complex cognitive activities such as conscious thought, language, and reasoning, largely carried out in the human forebrain.

Working memory

Short-term active storage and manipulation of information, primarily a forebrain (prefrontal cortex) function.

Modularity

Concept that certain mental functions are governed by specialized, dedicated brain areas.

Distributed processing

View that cognitive functions are spread across many brain regions rather than localized in single modules.

Localization of function

Principle that specific psychological processes reside in particular regions of the brain.

Fusiform Face Area (FFA)

Temporal-lobe region specialized for recognizing human faces.

Engram

Physical trace or location of a stored memory in the brain.

Procedural memory

Type of implicit memory for learned skills and routines, such as a rat’s route through a maze.

Implicit memory

Memory expressed without conscious awareness, influencing perceptions or behavior.

Lesion

Intentional or accidental damage to brain tissue used to study structure–function relationships.

Carl Lashley

Neuroscientist who searched for the engram by lesioning rat brains and concluded memory is widely distributed.

Rat maze experiment

Lashley’s study in which trained rats received brain lesions to test where their maze memory was stored.

Size-of-lesion effect

Lashley’s finding that memory loss depended on how much brain tissue was destroyed, not on the lesion’s location.

Research-focused university (R1)

Institution where grant-driven research is prioritized and faculty often buy out of teaching duties.

Teaching-focused university

Institution such as Fresno State where instruction and student engagement are the primary mission.

Teaching assistant (TA)

Graduate student who grades assignments and frequently conducts classes at large universities.

Dr. Nancy Kanwisher

Cognitive neuroscientist recognized for work on brain specialization and engaging public talks on the mind’s machinery.