Hemispheric Differences in Semantic Priming Examined Across Handedness Groups

The present study investigates hemispheric differences in semantic priming across handedness groups. A lexical decision task was administered to 87 individuals, classified into handedness groups: consistent right-handers; consistent left-handers; and inconsistent-handers. Participants were presented with strongly- and nonassociated category members in a visual half-field semantic priming task. The hypothesis was that the dominant hemisphere would have an advantage for strongly-associated category members, and the nondominant hemisphere would have an advantage for nonassociated category members. This effect was expected to be determined by handedness, where consistent right-handers have left-hemisphere language dominance, consistent left-handers have right-hemisphere dominance, and inconsistent-handers have no hemispheric dominance. Although the expected interaction was not found, effects of SOA, word association, and visual field were consistent with previous findings. When handedness was re-classified by stated handedness, there was an association between handedness and visual field. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Windsor

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Coppens, Andrea M.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Abeare, Christopher A.

Licence

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_CA

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14776/2309

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwindsor.scholaris.ca:20.500.14776/2309