title: Haptic orientation perception: sex differences and lateralization of functions.
abstract: The present study examined sex differences in haptic orientation representation using three tasks: a bimanual parallel-setting task comprising haptic orientation perception and motor matching action, and two unimanual tasks focusing on the perception and action elements separately. A verbal judgment task focused on haptic orientation perception: participants were to assign a number of minutes to a felt orientation. An orientation production task required the rotation of a bar to match a verbally presented number of minutes. Although both male and female performance was systematically biased we found that males are more accurate in parallel-setting and verbal judgment of orientation, suggesting differences in haptic orientation perception, in particular. Increasing allocentric reference frame involvement by delaying the action in the parallel-setting task did not affect the sex difference found. In addition to a male advantage over tasks, performance on both unimanual tasks suggests sex differences in lateralization of haptic orientation processing; a dependence on hand orientation was found only for right hand performance in males.
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Institute, Psychological Laboratory, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sander
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zuidhoek
authors.forename: Astrid M L
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kappers
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Postma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*