Damage to the ________ would most likely interfere with a person's memory of how to play the piano.

• A. cerebellum
• B. Wernicke's area
• C. hippocampus
• D. Broca's area

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the role of each brain area listed in the problem: Wernicke's area is involved in language comprehension, Broca's area is involved in speech production, the hippocampus is crucial for forming new explicit memories, and the cerebellum is important for motor control and procedural memory.
2. Recognize that playing the piano involves motor skills and procedural memory, which is the type of memory responsible for knowing how to perform tasks without conscious awareness.
3. Recall that the cerebellum plays a key role in coordinating motor movements and is essential for learning and remembering motor skills, such as playing an instrument.
4. Differentiate between types of memory: the hippocampus is more involved in declarative memory (facts and events), while the cerebellum supports procedural memory (skills and habits).
5. Conclude that damage to the cerebellum would most likely interfere with a person's ability to remember how to play the piano, as it affects procedural memory and motor coordination.