Psychology I / Biological Psychology
Practice question · Multiple choice

Broca's patient could understand everything and say only one syllable, "tan." From a single case, Broca concluded speech production has a location. Why was one patient enough?

Hints
  1. The claim is 'these two abilities are separable'. Ask how many counterexamples that needs.
  2. Compare with a claim about averages, which would need a sample.
Show the answer

B. Because a single dissociation is a demonstration, not a sample

Why

An existence claim needs one instance. Showing that comprehension can survive while production is destroyed establishes that they are separable functions, and no average could establish it better. Neuropsychology has argued this way ever since. H.M. is the same move in memory.

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