Cognitive and Neuropsychological Response Asymmetries for Adults on the Left-Right Seating Axis

Abstract

Six studies of the relationship between classroom seating and information processing were conducted with adult subjects. Findings converged to support a hemisphericity-based explanation of effects with right-side-sitters more inclined to a response style associated with the right hemisphere—perhaps, less analytical or less cautious in responding (Experiments 1–4), more “artistic” (Experiment 5), and less ateralized (Experiment 6), and vice versa for left side sitters. First, using incidental memory tasks, subjects (N = 164) with a right side seating preference (i.e., to the speaker's left side) were found, in their test-taking behavior, to respond more positively to inaccurate distractor words (Experiments 1 and 2), particularly those with an ambiguous semantic reference (Experiment 3). For different levels of processing, seating location did not influence auditory memory (Experiments 1 and 2) but right side sitters showed enhanced visual memory for accurate words (Experiment 3). In a sample of 366 subjects, males selecting right side seating were less successful on multiple-choice test performance (Experiment 4), but there were no Side differences in test taking speed or review time. In a sample of 286 subjects (Experiment 5), personality measures on the Vocational Preference Inventory revealed right sitters scored higher on the “Artistic” scale and on femininity on the Masculine-Feminine scale. The final study (N = 90) revealed reduced dichotic processing on verbal tasks (digits and voiced CVs) for right side sitters. Implications are discussed.

Key Words:

• Cerebral hemispheres
• hemisphericity
• neuropsychology dichotic listening
• information processing
• seating