Evidence for a new conceptualization of semantic representation in the left and right cerebral hemispheres.
Two experiments are reported that examined qualitative differences in how semantic information is represented in the two hemispheres. In the first experiment, items that were associatively related but did not share semantic features or membership in semantic categories produced priming when delivered to the LH (RVF) but not to the RH (LVF). In the second experiment items that shared semantic features but were neither associates nor in the same category produced priming in the RH (LVF), but not in the LH (RVF). Together, the two experiments support the theory that, in the right hemisphere, semantic memories are represented within a distributed system, on the basis of semantic features, whereas, in the left hemisphere representations are, as in local models, relatively more holistic, and are connected via associative links.
Deacon
Diana
D
Department of Psychology, The City College of the City University of New York, NY 10031, USA. monterey@bcn.net
Grose-Fifer
Jillian
J
Yang
Chien-Ming
CM
Stanick
Virginia
V
Hewitt
Sean
S
Dynowska
Anna
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D012660:Semantics; D014825:Vocabulary