Part 1
Brain Ablation entails the removal of a particular part of the brain. The practice involves shutting down a particular part of the brain to allow the other part of the brain function optimally. Brain ablation experiments are done to determine the specific function of a specific part of the brain. The critical tests on brain ablation were done on monkeys since monkeys’ brain function the same way as human brains visually (Goldstein, & Brockmole, 2017). Notably, the ventral pathway in the brain is responsible for the identification of an object. The dorsal pathway on the brain is responsible for locating objects or determining the location of an object.
Brain ablation has been used in the treatment of brain disorder and determining the specific functions of different parts of the brain. Experiments where a part of the brain has been removed, and the behavior of an animal is observed are called experimental ablation or lesion studies. Ideally, all parts of the brain are interconnected meaning one part of the brain may affect the functioning of another part of the brain.
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In the film, the concept of brain ablation has been used in hypnosis. The characters were hypnotized to enable the brain to perform a function that it would not have performed normally (Crowell, & Holub, 2011), for instance, the ability to see color and read at the same time. It is not possible to read the name of a color and notice the color or font the name has been written in at the same time. However, with hypnosis shutting down the part of the brain that is responsible for reading, one can notice the color of the font.
The film does not offer experimental ablation by using surgeries but instead temporarily shutting down a part of the brain to enable it to perform other functions better. In another case of hypnosis, a person was compelled to the focus on sleeping to forget the increase in temperature in the room (Crowell, & Holub, 2011). In the same experiment, the person is made to forget something they have always known from childhood like counting. Although these experiments do not entail removing a part of the brain surgically, they prove that it is possible to shut down a part of the brain or make the brain forget a memory temporarily.
Top-down processing and bottom-up processing are methods that prove the brain's inability to focus on multiple things. Both processing techniques are dependent on the concept that the human mind can only concentrate on one thing at a time. The difference between bottom up and top down processing lies on the principal factor in determining the stimulus and the prior experience of the observer (Goldstein, & Brockmole, 2017). The difference is also dependent on the external sensory. Nonetheless, the complexities of the processing system and the perception of surroundings can diffuse the lines between the two perceptions. In top-down processing, a person decides to concentrate on one thing. In bottom-up the procession, something grabs the attention of a person making them pay attention to it.
In the film, this concept has been explained using the idea of a magician explaining tricks while at the same time pickpocketing the observer. The magician will use the observer’s concentration to make them shift their focus to something else while they carried out another task (Crowell, & Holub, 2011). For instance, making someone focus on the palm of his or her hand while one carefully removes a watch from below. The film has successfully proved that it is not possible for a person to concentrate on multiple things at the same time. By making the attention of the observers shift, it is a demonstration of top-down processing. The film demonstrates bottom-up processing by telling the viewer to look away from the screen then grabbing their attention again by a ringing phone (Crowell, & Holub, 2011).
Part 2
NO, people do not have the potential to learn in class while at the same time talking to a friend or checking a text message. If a person attempts to perform two tasks simultaneously, they will focus on one task more than the other. The brain will choose to prioritize one task that the person is most interested in while pushing back the other things. From the film, it is evident that multitasking is not easy for any individual. Even the people, who considered themselves as the best in multitasking, could not perform two tasks at the same time and perform both tasks effectively. Scientifically, one would not perform well in any of the functions. As it has been emphasized numerous times in the film episode, the human brain only allows people to concentrate on one thing at a time while ignoring all the other tasks.
Questions for Guest speakers
From the concepts, we have learned in class and the film brain game, it is evident that people cannot focus on two things at the same time. Focusing on two things only means that they will perform dismally in both tasks or concentrate on one more than the other. How can people who have many jobs make their work better by use of divided attention?
In motion perception, does seeing an object make the brain perform other activities in the same way the brain activates bodily responses? For instance, while seeing a group of numbers will the area of the brain responsible for arithmetic be activated?
References
Crowell, J. (Director), & Holub, I. (Producer). (2011). Pay Attention! [Video file]. National Geographic. Retrieved from Alexander Street database.
Goldstein, E. B., & Brockmole, J. R. (2017). Sensation and perception . Boston: Cengage Learning
