Visual-field superiority as a function of stimulus type and content.
The objective of this study was to examine whether hemispheric superiority is determined more by stimulus type (facial, lexical) or content (neutral, emotional). A split, visual-field experiment was designed using a computer-based program with bilateral presentation (left visual-field, right visual-field) for four sets of stimuli: face (neutral, emotional) x word (neutral, emotional), N = 40. The dependent measures were the frequency of correct response and response latency of correct responses. The visual-field effect was nonsignificant for correct responses; however, the interaction of stimulus type x content was found significant. The interaction of visual-field x stimulus type was significant with response time as the dependent measure. Facial stimuli were processed faster in the left visual-field (a right hemispheric function) and lexical stimuli were processed faster in the right visual-field (a left hemispheric function). No hemispheric effect was observed for stimulus content.
Dutta
Tanusree
T
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur-721302, India.
Mandal
Manas K
MK
D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D004644:Emotions; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014794:Visual Fields; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*