Abstract
Various factors influence the degree of leftward error (pseudoneglect) (Bowers & Heilman, 1980) that typifies the performance of normal subjects in line bisection tasks (Jewell & McCourt, 2000). The results of this experiment show that unimanual responding also exerts a subtle but significant modulating influence on spatial attention, as indexed by the differential magnitude of pseudoneglect. Using a forced-choice tachistoscopic line bisection protocol, 184 subjects (92 male and 92 female) bisected horizontally oriented lines (22.3° wide X 0.39° height) presented to central vision in two conditions, in which bisection responses were executed via button presses using the first two fingers of either the left (LH) or right (RH) hand. Perceived line midpoint deviated significantly leftward of veridical (p < .05) in both conditions. There was no significant influence of subject sex (p > .05). A significant influence of animanual response was revealed (p < .05) where pseudoneglect magnitude was greater in the LH than the RH condition. The results are interpreted within the framework of the activationorientation theory of attentional asymmetry.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 52-63 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Brain and Cognition |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2001 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Line bisection
- Pseudoneglect
- Spatial attention
- Unimanual
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
- Cognitive Neuroscience