Mass Function and Equipotentiality: A Reanalysis of Lashley's Retention Data

Abstract

Detailed analyses of “subgroups” of Ss, defined by lesion size and locus, for Lashley's (1929) retention data suggested that parietal neo-cortical damage resulted in deficits that were relatively independent of total lesion size. It was suggested that Lashley's retention data provided questionable support for the principles of equipotentiality and mass function as he presented them and he did not include enough Ss to assess the validity of these principles for measures of acquisition following brain damage.