Brain Lateralization and Language Reflection
Kelly Y. Brevard
March 28th, 2016
PSY/340- Biological Psychology
Instructor- Dr. LaWanda N. Evans
Brain lateralization is a very complex process in which different regions of one’s brain to take over the functioning of specific behaviors and cognitive skills. Lateralization means that certain functions are located (in part or whole) on one side of the brain. According to fMRI data and other methods, the left hemisphere is dominant for speech production in more than 95% of right-handers and nearly 80% of left handers (Kalat, 2013).
Functions that are related to the left side of the brain include the ability of understanding and usage of language (listening, reading, speaking and writing), memory for spoken and written word, detailed information analysis as well as motor control of the right side of the body. Functions that are regulated to one’s right side of their brain include judging the position of objects in space, understanding body position, understanding and remembering things you do or see, piecing together information to form a complete picture and motor control of the left side of the body.
A delay in lateralization can effect cognitive and behavioral skills. Brain lateralization is essential to appropriate language and social skills development. In 1861, a French surgeon, Paul Broca discovered that damage to the left hemisphere resulted in aphasia (language impairment) (Kalat, 2013). In nearly all the cases the patient suffered damage to the Broca’s area. This was usually the result of a stroke (interruption of blood flow to part of the brain)....