Psychology- Essay on Phineas Gage
I wanted to share a paper I wrote, for my Psychology class, on Phineas Gage. I heard about a child who was impaled through the head with a spear, so I wanted to share this paper, which shows the power of the mind and body to recover, even a little, from a traumatic situation.
Phineas Gage Paper
Cognitive Psychology, as it is known, came about as a way to interpret an individual’s memory, speech, learning, and problem-solving skills, utilizing certain brain structures. The brain can be seen as similar to a computer, taking in information, processing it, and developing a response from the information, which is accomplished within several areas of the cerebrum: the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the occipital lobe. This wonderful structure can function under extreme damage, which was seen in the case of Phineas Gage, a railroad construction foreman, who received damage to his brain from a tampering iron that was blown up, went into his cheek bone and out through the top of his head, yet he managed to survive
The brain not only helps individuals to move from place to place or react to sensation, it helps individuals to take in the environment and all the complicated structures seen day to day, to gain a true understanding of our world. The cerebrum is known as the largest part of the brain and is broken into the known areas, right and left hemispheres (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). In these two areas, hold the areas of learning, reasoning, emotion, and speech patterns (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). The cerebrum is the most integral part of brain anatomy in reference to cognition and its interpretation (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). The two hemispheres, as a unit, contain areas that will give more explanation to this relationship.
The Frontal lobe
The cerebral hemispheres are broken into four lobes known as the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the occipital lobe. Each has its specific cognitive functionality important to every individual and work together to fully understand life. The frontal lobe is in charge of an individual’s personality, behavior patterns, and emotional response (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). Also, it controls speech pattern in a sub-area called, Broca’s area (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). Broca’s area was discovered by Pierre Paul Broca in 1861 as he was studying the brain of a speech impaired patient (Conjecture Corporation, 2003-2011). Broca discovered that if this area becomes damaged (Broca’s aphasia), the individual will lose the ability to assemble grammatically complex sentences (Conjecture Corporation, 2003-2011). This would hamper relations with other individuals due to a lack of understandable verbal communication, although the person with the damage can understand what is told to them (Conjecture Corporation, 2003-2011). Another lobe that helps with speech and several other factors is the parietal lobe.
The Parietal Lobe
The parietal lobe can be found above the occipital lobe and separated by the central sulcus, parieto-occipital sulcus, lateral sulcus and medial longitudinal fissure, which divides the right/left hemispheres (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). Areas that the parietal lobe controls are the processing of new information, movement of the body, speech, visual perception, recognition, and spatial orientation (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). If there is damage to this lobe, spatial processing can become abnormal (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). The smallest of the lobes which is hard to damage, is the occipital lobe.
The Occipital Lobe
The occipital lobe, which is the smallest of the lobes can be found in the rearmost part of the skull, which is why it is the least susceptible to injury (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). One of the occipital lobes’ functions is to interpret vision through light, color recognition and movement (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). If trauma occurs to this area, there will be a decrease in the visual-perceptual system (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). The last lobe of focus , and the only one that has a twin is, the temporal lobe.
The Temporal Lobe
The temporal lobe, found in both hemispheres can be found at the ear level of the skull (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). The temporal lobe not only is responsible for auditory processing (contains auditory cortex), but contains the hippocampus, which is in charge of long-term memory and new information sorting (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). The temporal lobe is also responsible for discrimination of smell and sounds from others, control visual memory and, verbal memory (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). Each lobe has a cognitive function that allows true understanding and interpretation of the world inside and out, although the case of Phineas Gage proved that the brain could still function with some damage to it.
Phineas Gage
Phineas Gage was a railroad foreman who was excavating rocks to allow for railroad track. This was accomplished with hole-drilling, which was filled with dynamite and blown up (Carlin, 2006). On September 13th, 1848 while putting explosive into a hole with a tampering iron, a spark from the iron ignited the powder sending the iron under Gage’s cheekbone and out through the top of his head (Carlin, 2006). The amazing thing was, he remained conscious and could walk after it happened. After treatment, Phineas went through some problems from infection, but eventually recovered too many people’s surprise (Carlin, 2006). The location of the damage from the tampering iron was, in the anterior left lobe of the cerebrum, fracture of the parietal and frontal bones and protruded the globe of the left eye from its sockets (Carlin, 2006). Eventually, Gage did show some signs of the damage to his frontal cortex, as told by those whom he knew. Phineas would become fitful, irreverent, profane, and sometimes obstinent that was not like him (Carlin, 2006). Gage was left using only his left hemisphere from the accident, which accounts for his decrease in proper behavior, intelligence, self-awareness and judgment (Carlin, 2006).
The brain is the nucleus of the body and allows for the creatures of Earth to work around its surroundings. Each lobe of the brain has its function that allows an individual to retain new information, speak to others about various subjects, perceive the objects seen every day and move about from place to place. Without the brain, we are left to be vegetables, lacking the will, and understanding to be part of society. As seen in the case of Phineas Gage, the brain can become damaged, yet still function for some time before causing any decrease in functionability.
References
Buzzle.com. (2000-2011). . Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/lobes-of-the-brain-and-their-function.html
Carlin, J. (2006). Neurophilosophy. Retrieved from http://neurophilosophy.wordpress.com/2006/12/04/the-incredible-case-of-phineas-gage/
Conjecture Corporation. (2003-2011). WiseGeek. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-brocas-area.htm
Mayfield Clinic. (2011). Anatomy of the Brain. Retrieved from http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-AnatBrain.htm
Phineas Gage Paper
Cognitive Psychology, as it is known, came about as a way to interpret an individual’s memory, speech, learning, and problem-solving skills, utilizing certain brain structures. The brain can be seen as similar to a computer, taking in information, processing it, and developing a response from the information, which is accomplished within several areas of the cerebrum: the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the occipital lobe. This wonderful structure can function under extreme damage, which was seen in the case of Phineas Gage, a railroad construction foreman, who received damage to his brain from a tampering iron that was blown up, went into his cheek bone and out through the top of his head, yet he managed to survive
The brain not only helps individuals to move from place to place or react to sensation, it helps individuals to take in the environment and all the complicated structures seen day to day, to gain a true understanding of our world. The cerebrum is known as the largest part of the brain and is broken into the known areas, right and left hemispheres (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). In these two areas, hold the areas of learning, reasoning, emotion, and speech patterns (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). The cerebrum is the most integral part of brain anatomy in reference to cognition and its interpretation (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). The two hemispheres, as a unit, contain areas that will give more explanation to this relationship.
The Frontal lobe
The cerebral hemispheres are broken into four lobes known as the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the occipital lobe. Each has its specific cognitive functionality important to every individual and work together to fully understand life. The frontal lobe is in charge of an individual’s personality, behavior patterns, and emotional response (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). Also, it controls speech pattern in a sub-area called, Broca’s area (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). Broca’s area was discovered by Pierre Paul Broca in 1861 as he was studying the brain of a speech impaired patient (Conjecture Corporation, 2003-2011). Broca discovered that if this area becomes damaged (Broca’s aphasia), the individual will lose the ability to assemble grammatically complex sentences (Conjecture Corporation, 2003-2011). This would hamper relations with other individuals due to a lack of understandable verbal communication, although the person with the damage can understand what is told to them (Conjecture Corporation, 2003-2011). Another lobe that helps with speech and several other factors is the parietal lobe.
The Parietal Lobe
The parietal lobe can be found above the occipital lobe and separated by the central sulcus, parieto-occipital sulcus, lateral sulcus and medial longitudinal fissure, which divides the right/left hemispheres (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). Areas that the parietal lobe controls are the processing of new information, movement of the body, speech, visual perception, recognition, and spatial orientation (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). If there is damage to this lobe, spatial processing can become abnormal (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). The smallest of the lobes which is hard to damage, is the occipital lobe.
The Occipital Lobe
The occipital lobe, which is the smallest of the lobes can be found in the rearmost part of the skull, which is why it is the least susceptible to injury (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). One of the occipital lobes’ functions is to interpret vision through light, color recognition and movement (Mayfield Clinic, 2011). If trauma occurs to this area, there will be a decrease in the visual-perceptual system (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). The last lobe of focus , and the only one that has a twin is, the temporal lobe.
The Temporal Lobe
The temporal lobe, found in both hemispheres can be found at the ear level of the skull (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). The temporal lobe not only is responsible for auditory processing (contains auditory cortex), but contains the hippocampus, which is in charge of long-term memory and new information sorting (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). The temporal lobe is also responsible for discrimination of smell and sounds from others, control visual memory and, verbal memory (Buzzle.com, 2000-2011). Each lobe has a cognitive function that allows true understanding and interpretation of the world inside and out, although the case of Phineas Gage proved that the brain could still function with some damage to it.
Phineas Gage
Phineas Gage was a railroad foreman who was excavating rocks to allow for railroad track. This was accomplished with hole-drilling, which was filled with dynamite and blown up (Carlin, 2006). On September 13th, 1848 while putting explosive into a hole with a tampering iron, a spark from the iron ignited the powder sending the iron under Gage’s cheekbone and out through the top of his head (Carlin, 2006). The amazing thing was, he remained conscious and could walk after it happened. After treatment, Phineas went through some problems from infection, but eventually recovered too many people’s surprise (Carlin, 2006). The location of the damage from the tampering iron was, in the anterior left lobe of the cerebrum, fracture of the parietal and frontal bones and protruded the globe of the left eye from its sockets (Carlin, 2006). Eventually, Gage did show some signs of the damage to his frontal cortex, as told by those whom he knew. Phineas would become fitful, irreverent, profane, and sometimes obstinent that was not like him (Carlin, 2006). Gage was left using only his left hemisphere from the accident, which accounts for his decrease in proper behavior, intelligence, self-awareness and judgment (Carlin, 2006).
The brain is the nucleus of the body and allows for the creatures of Earth to work around its surroundings. Each lobe of the brain has its function that allows an individual to retain new information, speak to others about various subjects, perceive the objects seen every day and move about from place to place. Without the brain, we are left to be vegetables, lacking the will, and understanding to be part of society. As seen in the case of Phineas Gage, the brain can become damaged, yet still function for some time before causing any decrease in functionability.
References
Buzzle.com. (2000-2011). . Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/lobes-of-the-brain-and-their-function.html
Carlin, J. (2006). Neurophilosophy. Retrieved from http://neurophilosophy.wordpress.com/2006/12/04/the-incredible-case-of-phineas-gage/
Conjecture Corporation. (2003-2011). WiseGeek. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-brocas-area.htm
Mayfield Clinic. (2011). Anatomy of the Brain. Retrieved from http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-AnatBrain.htm
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