Files and links (1)
chen-et-al-2024-hemispheric-asymmetry-for-global-local-processing-effects-of-stimulus-category-and-ageing1.47 MB
Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Hemispheric Asymmetry for Global-Local Processing: Effects of Stimulus Category and Ageing
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol.78(8), pp.1627-1648
2025
PMCID: PMC12267869
PMID: 39177007
Abstract
Hemispheric asymmetry has been reported for global-local processing in young and older adults, with global processing specialised in the right hemisphere (RH-global specialisation) and local processing specialised in the left hemisphere (LH-local specialisation). Questions persist regarding the extent to which hemispheric asymmetry is influenced by stimulus category (verbal stimuli processed in the left hemisphere; visuospatial stimuli processed in the right hemisphere). Some evidence suggests stimulus category does not influence hemispheric asymmetry (stimulus-independent account) while other evidence suggests it does (stimulus-dependent account). In older adults, there was evidence of a local-processing advantage, believed to result from slower and less accurate performance in right-hemisphere compared to left-hemisphere functioning-the right-hemisphere ageing hypothesis. We examined hemispheric asymmetry for global-local processing in young and older participants with three hierarchical figures (letters, verbalisable objects, nonverbalisable shapes), in a within-subjects design using a divided-attention paradigm and unilateral presentation. Our findings for letters and verbalisable objects support the stimulus-independent account-young and older participants demonstrated RH-global specialisation and LH-local specialisation regardless of stimulus category. In older participants, we also found a local-processing advantage for all three stimulus categories-an advantage best explained as faster and more accurate performance in local processing regardless of the visual field of stimulus presentation. Overall, we found hemispheric asymmetry for global-local processing in both young and older adults, and differences in global processing between young and older adults. Future investigation is suggested for the hemispheric asymmetry found in global-local processing of nonverbalisable shapes, and the mechanisms underlying age-related changes in global processing.Hemispheric asymmetry has been reported for global-local processing in young and older adults, with global processing specialised in the right hemisphere (RH-global specialisation) and local processing specialised in the left hemisphere (LH-local specialisation). Questions persist regarding the extent to which hemispheric asymmetry is influenced by stimulus category (verbal stimuli processed in the left hemisphere; visuospatial stimuli processed in the right hemisphere). Some evidence suggests stimulus category does not influence hemispheric asymmetry (stimulus-independent account) while other evidence suggests it does (stimulus-dependent account). In older adults, there was evidence of a local-processing advantage, believed to result from slower and less accurate performance in right-hemisphere compared to left-hemisphere functioning-the right-hemisphere ageing hypothesis. We examined hemispheric asymmetry for global-local processing in young and older participants with three hierarchical figures (letters, verbalisable objects, nonverbalisable shapes), in a within-subjects design using a divided-attention paradigm and unilateral presentation. Our findings for letters and verbalisable objects support the stimulus-independent account-young and older participants demonstrated RH-global specialisation and LH-local specialisation regardless of stimulus category. In older participants, we also found a local-processing advantage for all three stimulus categories-an advantage best explained as faster and more accurate performance in local processing regardless of the visual field of stimulus presentation. Overall, we found hemispheric asymmetry for global-local processing in both young and older adults, and differences in global processing between young and older adults. Future investigation is suggested for the hemispheric asymmetry found in global-local processing of nonverbalisable shapes, and the mechanisms underlying age-related changes in global processing.
Details
- Title
- Hemispheric Asymmetry for Global-Local Processing: Effects of Stimulus Category and Ageing
- Authors
- Haiwen Chen (Author) - Australian National UniversityJolene Alexa Cox (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Human Factors and Systems ScienceAnne Marie Aimola Davies (Corresponding Author) - Australian National University
- Publication details
- The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol.78(8), pp.1627-1648
- Publisher
- Sage Publications Ltd.
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1177/17470218241280800
- ISSN
- 1747-0226; 1747-0218
- PMID
- 39177007; PMC12267869
- Copyright note
- © Experimental Psychology Society 2024. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Lficense (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
- Data Availability
- The R Code for statistical analysis will be available at the Open Science Framework and can be accessed at the time of publication: https://osf.io/g92eu. The data from this study cannot be made publicly available, as the informed consent for our study specifies that de-identified participant data will only be accessible to the researchers on this project.
- Organisation Unit
- Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991057797802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
43 File views/ downloads
25 Record Views