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Hemispheric asymmetry and dual-task performance in children: a finger-tapping study
1University of Bergen, Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, Norway.
The International Journal of Neuroscience
|March 1, 1993
Summary
Children show more dual-task interference than adults, especially during verbal tasks. This dual-task interference impacts both hands, with notable differences observed between genders and hand preferences in cognitive task performance.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Dual-task interference is well-documented in adults.
- Limited research exists on dual-task interference in children, particularly concerning sex and hand preference.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of concurrent verbal and nonverbal cognitive tasks on finger-tapping in children.
- To compare dual-task interference in right- and left-handed boys and girls.
- To examine differences in interference between verbal and nonverbal tasks.
Main Methods:
- A dual-task paradigm was employed with right- and left-handed children.
- Three interference tasks were used: reading aloud (motor verbal), and two sensory-memory tasks (nonsense syllables, random shapes).
- Finger-tapping frequency was measured bilaterally.
Main Results:
- All groups exhibited decreased bilateral tapping frequency during the motor verbal task.
- Significant sex differences in tapping were found for sensory tasks, especially with the right hand.
- Left-handed girls experienced the most pronounced interference.
Conclusions:
- Dual-task interference appears more pronounced in children than in adults.
- Increased demands on general processing capacity may explain heightened interference in children.
- Sex and hand preference influence dual-task interference patterns in children.