Spatial distribution of attention and inter-hemispheric competition

Considerable evidence has demonstrated functional asymmetry in spatial attention between the left and right hemispheres. In the present study, we aimed to examine the theoretical models of spatial attention by considering distribution and inter-hemispheric competition in neurologically healthy participants. Participants searched for a green circle target among green diamond non-targets in the presence or absence of a red singleton. Assuming that the salient singleton would increase the activation of the corresponding hemisphere, we manipulated the sides of the singleton visual fields and target visual fields. When the salient singleton was presented to the right visual field, target detection was faster for left visual field targets than for right visual field targets. In contrast, when the salient singleton was presented to the left visual field, target detection time was equivalent for left and right visual field targets. These results suggest that when the perceptually salient singleton acts as an activator, distribution of attention differs depending on the activated hemisphere induced by inter-hemispheric competition. These findings are in line with Kinsbourne's opponent processor theory.