Effects of visual field of presentation and stimulus characteristics on visual discrimination learning

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Patricia Y. Lefebvre (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Sunnan Kubose

Abstract: The present study investigated the relationship between access to verbal processes and visual discrimination behavior. If reversal-shift behavior requires access to verbal processes, then response latencies should be shorter when sensory information has direct access to the areas concerned with these functions than when such information must travel indirectly to these areas. In accordance with the fact that language areas are primarily found in the left hemisphere of the normal, right-handed adult, stimuli were tachistoscopically presented to the right, center, and left visual fields. It was predicted that response latencies for nonverbal tasks during the initial discrimination should not be affected by visual field of presentation; verbal stimuli would result in shorter response latencies with right field presentation. During the reversal discrimination, both verbal and nonverbal stimuli should have shorter reaction times with right field presentation. Results indicate that during the initial discrimination, reaction times for verbal tasks were not affected by field of presentation; reaction times for nonverbal tasks were significantly higher with right field presentation. During the reversal discrimination, right field presentation resulted in significantly shorter response latencies for the size and name discriminations than did left field. Field of presentation, though a significant factor during both the initial and reversal / discriminations, accounted for a small proportion of the total variance.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 1974
Subjects
Visual discrimination
Visual fields
Brain $x Localization of functions

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