Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
Brain specialization refers to the idea that different areas of the brain have specific functions and are responsible for specific cognitive processes or behaviors.
The idea that specific functions or abilities can be localized to certain areas of the brain.
Phrenology: An outdated theory that claimed personality traits could be determined by examining bumps and depressions on the surface of the skull.
Hemispheric Specialization: The division of labor between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, where certain functions are more dominant in one hemisphere than the other.