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Published on: January 4, 2013
Inferential abilities of normal and right hemisphere damaged adults
W D Harden1, M P Cannito, P A Dagenais
1Dept. of Speech Pathology and Audiology, University of South Alabama, Mobile 36688-0002, USA.
Journal of Communication Disorders
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Right hemisphere brain-damaged (RHD) adults performed similarly to controls in inferencing tasks. The combined auditory and orthographic presentation condition facilitated the best performance for all participants, suggesting no inherent inference deficit in RHD individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Right hemisphere brain damage (RHD) can impact cognitive functions, including language processing.
- Indirect inferencing is a complex cognitive skill crucial for understanding nuanced communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare indirect inferencing abilities between individuals with RHD and healthy controls.
- To identify the optimal presentation modality (auditory, orthographic, or combined) for inference formation in RHD individuals.
Main Methods:
- Nine adults with RHD and 18 matched normal controls participated.
- Participants completed inferencing tasks using narrative paragraphs presented in three conditions: Auditory-Only, Orthographic-Only, and Combined Auditory/Orthographic.
Main Results:
- Both RHD and control groups demonstrated significantly better performance in the Combined Auditory/Orthographic condition.
- No significant differences were found in inferencing task performance between the RHD group and normal controls.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest that individuals with RHD do not necessarily exhibit an impairment in indirect inferencing on this type of linguistic task.
- The combined auditory and orthographic presentation enhances inference formation for both RHD individuals and controls.
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