Visual Half-Field Differences in the Recognition of Bilaterally Presented Single Letters and Vertically Spelled Words

Abstract

Tachistoscopic recognition of bilaterally presented single letters and vertically spelled words as a function of the lateral visual-half-field placement of the stimuli was examined. Right visual-field recognition superiority obtained for both types of stimuli, but the percentage of Ss showing right-field superiority was much lower than obtained in earlier experiments using horizontally spelled words as stimuli. Data from this aggregate of experiments were discussed in terms of compatibility with the view that reading habits play at least some role in producing right-field superiority with horizontal words. It was suggested that reading habits are not fundamental to the results and that all the data can be encompassed within a lateral dominance and visual masking-temporal registration sequence model in which the temporal patterning of inputs from differing retinal locations plays a major role in producing left-right differences for horizontally displayed words.