![]() Mean recognition score was significantly higher on the left hand than on the right and a majority of subjects (71%) showed superior accuracy on the left hand as compared to the right. The second question arose from the results of the study of BENTON, LEVIN and VARNEY indicating that normal righthanded subjects were more accurate in identifying the direction of linear tactile stimulation applied to the palm of the left hand than to the right hand. It was hoped that the findings would shed light on the character of the cerebral organization of spatial abilities in persons who are other than righthanded. The specific question raised was whether or not normal subjects who are not righthanded would show the same pattern of performance (indicative of right hemisphere “dominance”) in the tactile perception of direction as that shown by righthanded subjects. The first concerned the relationship of handedness to performance pattern in tactile-spatial tasks. The present investigation was addressed to two questions. Thus the generalization that the right hemisphere is in some sense “dominant” for tactile-spatial thinking can be considered to be valid only for such subjects. These studies have dealt almost exclusively with righthanded subjects who presumably are left-hemisphere dominant for language functions. INTRODUCTION A NUMBER of studies of tactile-spatial perception in both normal subjects and patients with brain disease have generated results leading to the conclusion that the right hemisphere plays the same distinctively important role of subserving spatial thinking in the tactile modality that it does in the sphere of vision. The tindings underscore the importance of familial hackground as a determinant of performances reflecting asymmetry in hemispheric function. Lefthanded subjects with righthanded parents show no lateral asymmetry in performance but those with a lefthanded parent show clear superiority on the right hand. Righthanded subjects with a purely’dextral familial background showed clear suoerioritv on the left hand while those who had a lefthanded paren: showed no lateral asymmetry n performance. Familial background in respect to handedness was found to be a significant and independent determinant 07 lateral pattern of performance. Lefthanded subjects showed no trend toward superior performance on either hand. in confirmation of previous findings, perception of direction was significantly more accurate on the left hand than on the right in righthanded subjects. (Received 9 January 1975) Abstract-The accuracy of tactile perception of the direction of tactile stimulation of brief duration applied to the palms of the hands was investigated in relation to hand preference and familial background in normal subjects. BENTON Neurosensory Center and Departments of Neurology and Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, U.S.A. ![]() TACTILE PERCEPTION OF DIRECTION IN RELATION TO HANDEDNESS AND FAMILIAL HANDEDNESS NILS R. ![]()
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