Deck 12: Extension: B - Variations in Cerebral Asymmetry

Question 1

What factors may account for the greater incidence of left - handedness in mentally disabled children?

Answer 1

In a non-familial left-handed person, there might have been an interruption of left-hemisphere development during embryogenesis due to a neurological developmental disorder that led to a shift from right-handedness to left-handedness. There are so few left-handed people compared with right-handed people that comparisons between the two are not probabilistically equivalent.

Question 2

Use the following to answer questions:
For each question, answer
superior mental rotation ___

A) if the item is truer for males than for females
B) if the item is truer for females than for males.

Answer 2

if the item is truer for males than for females

Question 3

At least five cognitive abilities show sex - related differences. Name four.

Answer 3

Females performed better than males on calculations, precision in fine motor skills, and verbal fluency, and males performed better on mental rotation of objects, target-directed throwing, and mathematical reasoning.

Question 4

What are the basic ideas in the Geschwind-Galaburda theory concerning the development of cerebral asymmetry?

Question 5

Use the following to answer questions:
For each trait listed, answer
larger right planum parietale ___

A) if it is truer for males than for females
B) if it is truer for females than for males
C) if there is no reliable sex difference.

Question 6

Briefly describe some behavioral tests that reliably distinguish between males and females.

Question 7

How may hormonal effects during the fetal period contribute to the later development of male-female differences in cognitive performance?

Question 8

Use the following to answer questions:
For each question, answer
better target - throwing and catching ability ___

A) if the item is truer for males than for females
B) if the item is truer for females than for males.

Question 9

Identify three environmental theories of hand preference. Discuss one in detail.

Question 10

Use the following to answer questions:
For each trait listed, answer
larger splenium of corpus callosum ___

A) if it is truer for males than for females
B) if it is truer for females than for males
C) if there is no reliable sex difference.

Question 11

What does Luders' "gray matter concentration" measure indicate? What differences exist in this measure between males and females?

Question 12

What are some male-female differences in human brain asymmetries?

Question 13

Use the following to answer questions:
For each question, answer
better computational ability ___

A) if the item is truer for males than for females
B) if the item is truer for females than for males.

Question 14

What is the relationship between anatomical asymmetry, handedness, and language lateralization?

Question 15

What is the significance of a larger corpus callosum for cerebral asymmetry?

Question 16

What explanations may account for the larger cross - sectional areas of the corpus callosum in left - handed individuals?

Question 17

Explain how Annett's theory of handedness predicts that the population consists of 12.5% left - handed people.

Question 18

Use the following to answer questions:
For each trait listed, answer
susceptibility to apraxia following left frontal lesions ___

A) if it is truer for males than for females
B) if it is truer for females than for males
C) if there is no reliable sex difference.

Question 19

Use the following to answer questions:
For each question, answer
greater verbal fluency ___

A) if the item is truer for males than for females
B) if the item is truer for females than for males.

Question 20

Use the following to answer questions:
For each trait listed, answer
verbal impairment following left - hemisphere lesions ___

A) if it is truer for males than for females
B) if it is truer for females than for males
C) if there is no reliable sex difference.

Question 21

Describe the laterality of nonhearing people.

Question 22

What is the evidence for cerebral lateralization in birds and nonhuman primates?
Answer Key

Question 23

What explanations have been offered for the apparent anomalies in the cerebral lateralization of Genie?

Question 24

Describe the proposed developmental progression of cerebral asymmetry from the embryonic state through adulthood.