title: Prism adaptation in left-handers.
abstract: Two experiments with left-handers examined the features of prism adaptation established by previous research with right-handers. Regardless of handedness, (1) rapid adaptation occurs in exposure pointing with developing error in the opposite direction after target achievement, especially with early visual feedback in target pointing; (2) proprioceptive or visual aftereffects are larger, depending on whether visual feedback is available early or late, respectively, in target pointing; (3) the sum of these aftereffects is equal to the total aftereffect for the eye-hand coordination loop; (4) intermanual transfer of visual aftereffects occurs only for the dominant hand; and (5) visual aftereffects are larger in left space when the dominant hand is exposed to leftward displacement. A notable handedness difference is that, while transfer of proprioceptive aftereffects only occurs to the nondominant hand in right-handers, transfer occurs in both directions for left-handers, but regardless of handedness, such transfer only occurs when the exposed hand is tested first after exposure. A discussion then focuses on the implications of these data for a theory of handedness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4620, USA. gredding@ilstu.edu
authors.forename: Gordon M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Redding
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D005246:Feedback; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D009949:Orientation; D010469:Perceptual Distortion; D011434:Proprioception; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013028:Space Perception; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014796:Visual Perception