Examining Frontal Lobe Functions and their ‘Family Resemblance

The frontal lobes constitute approximately one-third of the total brain area. It is not surprising then to learn that the frontal lobes are important in a variety of functions. Research has shown us that the frontal lobes play a role in motor functions, divergent thinking, environmental control of behavior, temporal memory, spatial orientation, social behavior, olfaction, and face movements. Given this wide variety of functions, researchers have found it a difficult and puzzling task to tie them together into some sort of coherent framework that would describe an overall function of the frontal lobes. Is there any sort of 'family resemblance' among these different functions? Are these various functions related in some way? Throughout this paper I will first discuss the functions of the frontal lobes and second discuss the 'family resemblance' among these functions.