Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Lateralization

Lateralization

Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Relative performance of the two hands in simple and choice reaction time tasks.

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas·2013

Same author

Which factors are important for crossmodal attentional effect?

Experimental brain research·2013

Same author

Facilitatory effects of an auditory warning stimulus in a visual location identification task and a visual shape identification task.

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas·2012

Same author

Influence of cueing on the preparation and execution of untrained and trained complex motor responses.

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas·2012

Same author

Lateral asymmetry of voluntary attention orienting.

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas·2010

Same author

Evidence for divided automatic attention.

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas·2008

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

Published on: April 11, 2025

Automatic attention lateral asymmetry in visual discrimination tasks.

L L Righi¹, L E Ribeiro-do-Valle

¹Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. lurighi@icb.usp.br

Psychological Research

|June 19, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Visual attention shows a right-side bias, independent of hemisphere specialization for location or shape. This lateral asymmetry in attention, particularly its inhibitory aspect, was observed consistently across tasks.

More Related Videos

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Published on: January 23, 2017

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Published on: March 18, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

Published on: April 11, 2025

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Published on: January 23, 2017

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Published on: March 18, 2019

Area of Science:

Cognitive Neuroscience
Visual Attention Research

Background:

Existing research suggests automatic visual attention exhibits a right-side bias.
Hemispheric specialization is noted, with right dominance for visual location and left for visual shape processing.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if the right-side bias in visual attention interacts with hemispheric dominance for visual processing.
To explore the lateral asymmetry of attention and its potential link to inhibitory mechanisms.

Main Methods:

Participants performed location and shape discrimination tasks.
Target stimuli (S2) were presented in either the left or right visual hemifield.
Stimuli were preceded by ipsilateral, contralateral, or bilateral prime stimuli (S1).

Main Results:

A larger attentional effect was observed when the prime stimulus (S1) was presented on the right compared to the left.
This lateral asymmetry remained consistent across both location and shape discrimination tasks.
Reaction times were longer for left-sided targets (S2) than right-sided targets when the prime (S1) was contralateral, indicating lateral asymmetry in attention's inhibitory component.

Conclusions:

The right-side bias in visual attention is not explained by hemispheric asymmetries in visual location or shape processing.
The findings suggest a lateral asymmetry in the inhibitory component of attention, with implications for understanding attentional mechanisms.