Sample Answer for Outline and evaluate localisation of function in the brain (16 marks)

Localisation of function is the idea that different parts of the brain are responsible for different behaviours or activities. For example, the motor area controls movement, the visual area processes what we see, and the auditory area deals with hearing. There are also specific areas like Broca's area, which is involved in speech production, and Wernicke's area, which is involved in understanding language, both of which are located in the left hemisphere of the brain.

The opposing theory to localisation is the holistic theory, which suggests that all parts of the brain work together to carry out functions, especially more complex ones like thinking.

There is research that supports localisation of function. For example, Phineas Gage is a famous case study from 1848. He had a serious accident where a metal rod went through his frontal lobe. After the accident, people noticed a big change in his personality, which suggests that the frontal lobe has a role in regulating mood and behaviour.

However, there are limitations to the idea of localisation. Research by Lashley (1950) showed that when areas of the cortex were removed from rats learning a maze, their ability to learn was not affected. This suggests that for more complex tasks, like learning, different parts of the brain work together, supporting the holistic view.

Moreover, the brain's plasticity provides evidence against strict localisation. When people suffer brain injuries, their brains can often reorganise themselves to recover functions lost due to the damage. For example, if one area of the brain that controls movement is damaged, another part can sometimes take over, which wouldn't be possible if functions were strictly localised.

There are also gender differences to consider. Harasty et al (1997) found that women have larger Broca's and Wernicke's areas than men, which makes it harder to generalise findings about localisation across all people.

In conclusion, while there is support for the idea of localisation of function in the brain, particularly for basic functions like movement or speech, there is also evidence to suggest that the brain is more flexible and that some functions may be more distributed across different areas.