Phrenologists believed that the contour of the skull could provide valuable information about an individual's cognitive capacities and personality traits. This approach was based on the assumption that
A)skull protrusions are caused by disproportionate development of the brain areas beneath them, which are responsible for different specific functions.
B)certain traits such as aggressiveness lead to life experiences and injuries that alter the shape of the skull in specific ways.
C)life experiences and injuries that alter the shape of the skull in specific ways lead to certain traits, such as aggressiveness.
D)the development of the skull bones directly influences the configuration of the soft brain areas beneath them, which are responsible for different specific functions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Phrenologists believed that the shape and size of different parts of the skull corresponded to the development and functioning of different parts of the brain responsible for specific cognitive capacities and personality traits. They believed that areas of the brain responsible for language, for example, would be more developed in people with a larger frontal lobe, which would be reflected in a protruding forehead. This idea was based on the assumption that skull contours are caused by the underlying brain anatomy, rather than external factors such as injury or life experiences.

Phrenologists Believed That the Contour of the Skull Could Provide