Inter-hemispheric interaction facilitates face processing. 2002

Rebecca J Compton
Department of Psychology, Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041, USA. rcompton@haverford.edu

Many recent studies have revealed that interaction between the left and right cerebral hemispheres can aid in task performance, but these studies have tended to examine perception of simple stimuli such as letters, digits or simple shapes, which may have limited naturalistic validity. The present study extends these prior findings to a more naturalistic face perception task. Matching tasks required subjects to indicate when a target face matched one of two probe faces. Matches could be either across-field, requiring inter-hemispheric interaction, or within-field, not requiring inter-hemispheric interaction. Subjects indicated when faces matched in emotional expression (Experiment 1; n=32) or in character identity (Experiment 2; n=32). In both experiments, across-field performance was significantly better than within-field performance, supporting the primary hypothesis. Further, this advantage was greater for the more difficult character identity task. Results offer qualified support for the hypothesis that inter-hemispheric interaction is especially advantageous as task demands increase.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007839 Functional Laterality Behavioral manifestations of cerebral dominance in which there is preferential use and superior functioning of either the left or the right side, as in the preferred use of the right hand or right foot. Ambidexterity,Behavioral Laterality,Handedness,Laterality of Motor Control,Mirror Writing,Laterality, Behavioral,Laterality, Functional,Mirror Writings,Motor Control Laterality,Writing, Mirror,Writings, Mirror
D008297 Male Males
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D005149 Facial Expression Observable changes of expression in the face in response to emotional stimuli. Face Expression,Expression, Face,Expression, Facial,Face Expressions,Facial Expressions
D005260 Female Females
D005403 Fixation, Ocular Positioning and accommodation of eyes that allows the image to be brought into place on the FOVEA CENTRALIS of each eye. Focusing, Ocular,Ocular Fixation,Eye Gaze,Eye Gazes,Gaze, Eye,Gazes, Eye,Ocular Focusing
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014794 Visual Fields The total area or space visible in a person's peripheral vision with the eye looking straightforward. Field, Visual,Fields, Visual,Visual Field
D014796 Visual Perception The selecting and organizing of visual stimuli based on the individual's past experience. Visual Processing,Perception, Visual,Processing, Visual

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