Visual-field superiority as a function of stimulus type and content.

摘要

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.