Spatial ability and lateralization in the haptic modality.
Two experiments examined the relation between spatial visualization ability and spatial lateralization using a unimanual haptic task with random shapes as stimuli. High spatial ability was not associated with enhanced right hemisphere functioning. However, spatial ability considered in the context of sex differences (Experiment 1) and level of verbal ability (Experiment 2) did yield interactions with the laterality (i.e., hand) variable, at least for first-list data. In Experiment 2, verbal ability also interacted with the gender and hand variables and in the same crossed ability-sex manner as was found for spatial ability in Experiment 1. It is concluded that cognitive abilities, including the relation between abilities, may be associated with the extent to which the right cerebral hemisphere mediates tactuospatial performance and that this association may differ for males and females.
Ernest
C H
CH
Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. cernest@trentu.ca
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior