PSYC 213 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Necker Cube, Steam Whistle, Pineal Gland
21 Mar 2013
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Goal of cognitive neuroscience: discover the brain mechanisms that produce human mental functions such as language, memory and attention. Cognitive neuroscientists must assume that the mind is composed of modules (sections of the brain, each of which is responsible for particular cognitive operations) 2. 1 the brain as the organ of the mind. Gall and spurzheim promoted phrenology (study of the shape, size and protrusions of the cranium to discover the relation of parts of the brain to various mental activities and abilities: 3 basic principles: Brain is the only organ of the mind. Basic character and intellectual traits are innate. There must exist differentially developed areas in the brain responsible for differences in character and intellectual traits among individuals: greater developed functions = greater the protrusion on the skull. Localization of function: attempt to discover correspondences between specific cognitive functions and specific parts of the brain: assumes there is a one-to-one correspondence between functions and parts of the brain.
