Spatial attention: differential shifts in pseudoneglect direction with time-on-task and initial bias support the idea of observer subtypes

Benwell, C.S.Y., Thut, G. , Learmonth, G. and Harvey, M. (2013) Spatial attention: differential shifts in pseudoneglect direction with time-on-task and initial bias support the idea of observer subtypes. Neuropsychologia, 51(13), pp. 2747-2756. (doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.09.030) (PMID:24076376)

Abstract

<p>Asymmetry in human spatial attention has long been documented. In the general population the majority of individuals tend to misbisect horizontal lines to the left of veridical centre. Nonetheless in virtually all previously reported studies on healthy participants, there have been subsets of people displaying rightward biases.</p> <p>In this study, we report differential time-on task effects depending on participants' initial pseudoneglect bias: participants with an initial left bias in a landmark task (in which they had to judge whether a transection mark appeared closer to the right or left end of a line) showed a significant rightward shift over the course of the experimental session, whereas participants with an initial right bias shifted leftwards.</p> <p>We argue that these differences in initial biases as well as the differential shifts with time-on task reflect genuine observer subtypes displaying diverging behavioural patterns. These observer subtypes could be driven by differences in brain organisation and/or lateralisation such as varying anatomical pathway asymmetries. </p>

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Learmonth, Dr Gemma and Thut, Professor Gregor and Harvey, Professor Monika
• Authors: Benwell, C.S.Y., Thut, G., Learmonth, G., and Harvey, M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience; College of Science and Engineering > School of Psychology
• Journal Name: Neuropsychologia
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0028-3932
• ISSN (Online): 1873-3514
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2013 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Neuropsychologia 51(13):2747-2756
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License