Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology is a field that integrates psychological observations with an understanding of brain structure and functions. It is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and cognitive effects of neurological disorders and brain injuries. Here are some key theories and contributors in this field:
- Localization of Brain Function
- Theorists/Contributors: Paul Broca and Carl Wernicke
- Description: Broca and Wernicke made significant contributions to the understanding of language processing in the brain. Broca’s area is associated with speech production, while Wernicke’s area is related to the comprehension of speech.
- Split-brain Research
- Theorists/Contributors: Roger Sperry
- Description: Sperry received the Nobel Prize for his research showing that severing the corpus callosum, which connects the two hemispheres of the brain, results in each hemisphere processing information independently.
- Cognitive Neuropsychology
- Theorists/Contributors: David Marr
- Description: Marr proposed a framework for understanding cognition from a computational perspective, contributing to insights into vision, memory, and other cognitive processes.
- Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
- Theorists/Contributors: Barbara Wilson
- Description: Wilson has contributed significantly to the understanding and application of rehabilitation strategies following brain damage.
- Memory Systems of the Brain
- Theorists/Contributors: Larry Squire and Endel Tulving
- Description: They have extensively contributed to the understanding of different memory systems in the brain, such as declarative and non-declarative memory.
- Neuroimaging and Brain Mapping
- Theorists/Contributors: Various Contributors
- Description: Techniques such as fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), PET (Positron Emission Tomography), and EEG (Electroencephalogram) have allowed for non-invasive mapping of brain activity.
- Executive Functions and Frontal Lobes
- Theorists/Contributors: Donald T. Stuss and others
- Description: Research on how the frontal lobes of the brain are crucial for executive functions, which include planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior.
- Hemispatial Neglect
- Theorists/Contributors: Various Contributors
- Description: A disorder where individuals are unable to attend to or process stimuli on one side of space, usually resulting from brain damage.
- Theory of Mind and Social Cognition
- Theorists/Contributors: Simon Baron-Cohen and others
- Description: Research on understanding other people’s mental states, emotions, and beliefs, often associated with the function of the prefrontal cortex.
- Neural Networks and Connectionist Models
- Theorists/Contributors: David Rumelhart, James McClelland, and others
- Description: The development of models that simulate the neural networks in the brain, helping in understanding various cognitive functions.
This list highlights some of the principal concepts, theories, and contributors in neuropsychology, illustrating the field’s goal of understanding how brain function relates to cognition and behavior.