According to Karl Lashley's research on the brain and emotion, what was his overall conclusion regarding the localization of function in the brain?

• A. Specific memories are stored in precise, isolated regions of the cerebral cortex.
• B. Memory and emotional functions are distributed throughout the brain rather than localized to a single area.
• C. Emotional behavior is entirely controlled by the hypothalamus.
• D. The amygdala is solely responsible for all emotional responses.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of localization of function, which refers to the idea that specific psychological functions or behaviors are controlled by particular areas of the brain.
2. Review Karl Lashley's research, which involved experiments on rats where he removed different parts of the cerebral cortex to observe effects on memory and learning.
3. Note that Lashley found that no single area of the cortex was solely responsible for memory or emotional functions, leading to the idea that these functions are not localized to one specific brain region.
4. Recognize Lashley's conclusion that memory and emotional functions are distributed across various parts of the brain, rather than being confined to isolated regions.
5. Summarize that Lashley's work supports the theory of distributed processing in the brain, meaning that multiple brain areas work together to support memory and emotional behavior.