Handedness and hemispheric differences for feature perturbations

The influence of handedness on hemispheric differences for feature perturbations was assessed in left- and right-handed normal subjects, with equal numbers of each sex in each group. Stimulus displays consisting of five small squares arranged in a single row were presented tachistoscopically to the left or right of fixation, and the size of the squares was manipulated in different conditions. Subjects were instructed to state in which square a horizontal "tick" mark was located. The handedness of the subjects contributed to the pattern of hemispheric differences for tick mislocations resulting from feature perturbations in the toward-fovea direction. For left-handed subjects, fewer errors occurred when stimuli were presented to the left hemisphere; for right-handed subjects, fewer errors occurred when stimuli were presented to the right hemisphere. Increasing stimulus size tended to enhance the handedness and hemispheric feature perturbation effects. The data suggest that handedness contributes to hemispheric organization of featural extraction processes.