DICHOTIC-LISTENING, HANDEDNESS, AND READING-ABILITY - A METAANALYSIS

A meta-analysis was used to aggregate data regarding the influence of selective attention, handedness, and reading ability on the right-ear advantage in dichotic listening. Data from 15 independent dichotic stu dies that employed consonant-vowel stimuli, free-recall and directed-a ttention conditions, and left-and right-handed children (age range 6 t o 12 years, IQ > 85) classified as good and poor readers determined th e sample. The statistical aggregation of research results based on the use of effect sizes and one-sample t tests indicated that younger (6 years, 0 months to 8 years, 11 months) and older (9 years, 0 months to 12 years, 11 months) good readers and older poor readers shifted atte ntion and thus overcame the right ear advantage bias, whereas younger poor readers shift attention only in the directed-right condition. Eff ect size analyses (with individuals combined for age) also indicated t hat left- and right-handed good readers do not shift attention across directed conditions, but attentional shifting was found for left- and right-handed poor readers. The meta-analysis clearly demonstrates an i nteraction among age, reading ability, and handedness on dichotic list ening outcome. Differences in patterns of ear report among these group s of children are suggestive of a combination of varied functional lat eralization and attentional strategies employed during dichotic conson ant-vowel tasks.