Final answer:
Individuals with prefrontal cortex damage struggle with adapting to new rules and strategies, as highlighted by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test which requires executive functions like cognitive flexibility and planning, which are compromised due to the injury.
Step-by-step explanation:
Individuals with prefrontal cortex damage have difficulty responding to changing demands in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.
The prefrontal cortex is a part of the brain located in the frontal lobe, which is responsible for a variety of complex behaviors, including planning, judgment, reasoning, and working memory. The case of Phineas Gage, who suffered damage to this area and had significant personality changes, illustrates the crucial role the prefrontal cortex plays in personality and cognitive flexibility.
In tasks like the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, which require participants to change problem-solving strategies in response to changing rules, those with damage to the prefrontal cortex often struggle. This is due to deficiencies in executive functions such as cognitive flexibility, planning, and the ability to adapt to new information - all functions that are integral to successful performance on the test.