A. Goldstein et H. Babkoff, A comparison of upper vs. lower and right vs. left visual fields using lexical decision, Q J EXP P-A, 54(4), 2001, pp. 1239-1259
Citations number
62
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology
Journal title
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY SECTION A-HUMAN EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
A series of experiments using the lexical decision task was conducted in or
der to investigate the functional differences between the upper and lower v
isual fields (UVF, LoVF) in word recognition. Word-nonword discrimination w
as swifter and more accurate for word stimuli presented in the UVF. Changin
g the eccentricity did not affect the UVF advantage over the LoVF. UVF supe
riority over LoVF was found to be equivalent for both right and left visual
hemifield (RVF, LVF). In general, presenting related word primes enhanced
all visual field differences in a similar manner (UVF over LoVF and RVF ove
r LVF). However, primes consisting of semantically constraining sentences e
nhanced the RVF advantage over the LVF, but did not affect the UVF and LoVF
differentially. The argument is made that UVF superiority cannot be due to
perceptual or attentional differences alone, but must also reflect top-dow
n information flow.