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Visual Half Field Recognition of Emotional and Non-Emotional Nouns as a Function of Sex of Subject

Holmes, David R.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1566463066610994

Abstract Details

1979, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Psychology.
The hypothesis that the right cerebral hemisphere is the primary storage and processing center for affective materials in normal, right-handed subjects was tested by examining subjects' visual half field (VHF) performances on a tachistoscopic reaction time (RT) task. Subjects (N=72; 36 male, 36 female) performed the lexical decision task of discriminating a group of four nouns from a corresponding group of nonsense syllables. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups, corresponding to the affect (neutral, positive, or negative) denoted by the nouns in the memory set for that group. The nonsense syllables were matched with the nouns on initial and terminal letters and the number of letters. The three word groups were matched for mean frequency, word length, and as nearly as possible for rated imagery. Stimuli were presented one at a time, vertically, and unilaterally to the right and left visual fields. The present examination of the hypothesis of an asymmetry for processing affective material depended upon replicating previous findings of at least a minimal level of language functioning by the right hemisphere. The subjects mean median RTs failed to reveal a consistent VHF superiority for any of the word groups. This finding is contrary to previous findings of a right VHF superiority for verbal tasks. In the absence of a right VHF superiority for subjects in the neutral word group, the necessary standard of comparison to demonstrate right hemisphere language functions for some of the groups was not available; therefore, these results do not assist one in resolving the controversy about whether normal right-handed subjects do or do not show right hemisphere language capabilities. In the absence of the expected pattern of VHF superiorities, the present results are not useful for determining if there is an asymmetry for processing of affective materials. A final issue examined in this experiment was the influence of sex and familial sinistrality (FS). Males had significantly faster RTs. The near-significant (p<0.06) three-way interaction of response X VHF X sex suggested that the males' word responses were faster in the RVF, and the females' nonsense syllables responses were faster in the LVF. The FS factor was not a significant main effect nor did it interact with other factors in a consistent way.
Walter F. McKeever (Advisor)
Psychology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Holmes, D. R. (1979). Visual Half Field Recognition of Emotional and Non-Emotional Nouns as a Function of Sex of Subject [Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1566463066610994

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Holmes, David. Visual Half Field Recognition of Emotional and Non-Emotional Nouns as a Function of Sex of Subject. 1979. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1566463066610994.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Holmes, David. "Visual Half Field Recognition of Emotional and Non-Emotional Nouns as a Function of Sex of Subject." Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 1979. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1566463066610994

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1566463066610994
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