Body Asymmetry Affects Conjugate Lateral Eye Movement

Abstract

A. H. Baker (1989) and A. H. Baker and A. I. Ledner (1990) reported that asymmetrical visual stimulation affects conjugate lateral eye movement (CLEM). In the present article, the authors explored whether asymmetrical body position similarly affects CLEM. The authors assessed CLEMs twice in a counterbalanced design. In the control (symmetric) condition, each participant sat in a completely symmetrical position facing a wall devoid of any asymmetrical features. In the experimental (asymmetrical) condition, half the participants rotated their heads 68 degrees clockwise relative to their bodies to face the experimenter, and the other half rotated their heads 68 degrees counterclockwise, also to face the experimenter. CLEM was predominantly toward the body's position in the asymmetrical condition rather than toward the body's position in the symmetrical condition.

Cognitive Consequences of Asymmetrical Visual Distraction

“…In Experiment 1 and all subsequent experiments, we seated each participant so that the head and body faced in precisely the same direction. Recent researchers have indicated that asymmetrical body orientation can influence the direction of attention and eye movements (e.g., Baker & Ledner, 2004;Grubb & Reed, 2002). Storm & Hernandez 419 420…”