Cognitive style induced by hemisphere priming: Consistent versus inconsistent self-report

Abstract

The method of induced lateral orientation of attention was used to selectively activate the right or left hemisphere in order to observe the consistency of behavior under each manipulated condition. Previous research has shown significantly lower consistency of behavior during relative right-than during relative left-hemisphere activation. With normal, right-handed, intact subjects this effect was replicated and extended to personality measures. These findings are discussed with respect to (1) the dynamics of selective activation of cortical regions, and (2) localization of complementary cognitive processes. Cacioppo, Petty, and Quintanar (1982, Experiment 2) found that when students listened to persuasive arguments, they reported greater attention to statements consistent with their own attitudes when EEG measures indicated a preponderance of activation in the left hemisphere, but greater attention to statements inconsistent with their attitudes during relative right cerebral hemisphere activation. Attempts to verify this apparent complementarity of processing strategies have shown analogous effects for selective memory (Drake , 1987a) and selective discounting (Drake, 1987b) .Further evidence that the left hemisphere may be especially involved in consistency comes from the research of Seamon, Brody, and Kauff (1983), who studied the effects of frequency of exposure to geometric figures on subjects' ratings of frequency and preference for those figures . They found that when the figures were exposed directly to the right hemisphere by tachistoscopic presentation in the left visual field, the ratings of frequency increased with greater exposure, but preference did not. When presentation was directed to the left hemisphere, however, both ratings of frequency and preference increased as a direct function of exposure, and were consistent with each other.This phenomenon has been demonstrated in three additional studies, using manipulated lateral orientation of attention as a means of producing selective activation of the processes of one hemisphere. When Drake (1984) measured perceived familiarity of and liking for famous persons, the correlation between these two measures wasThe assistance of Loretta Drake and Tracey Daily in the data collection is gratefully acknowledged. The contribution of the latter was supported by a graduate assistantshipfrom the State of Colorado. Preparation of this paperwas supported in part by a Research Opportunity Award to the author by the National Science Foundation, under Grant BNS 84-06809 to Charles M. Judd. Correspondence concerning this research may be directed to Roger A. Drake, who is now at the Department of Biomedical Engineering,The Johns HopkinsUniversitySchool of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, 522 Traylor Building, Baltimore, MD 21205. significantly greater during left-than during righthemisphere activation. The same pattern of results was found for measures of attitude extremity and importance by Drake and John (1987) . Drake and Sobrero (1987) measured their subjects...

Gödel, Escher, and degree of handedness: Differences in interhemispheric interaction predict differences in understanding self‐reference

“…This LH module is specialised for belief formation and maintaining a consistent and stable interpretation of who we think we are, i.e., the self. Drake (1988) found a similar function of the LH for normal participants. When participants were administered various personality scales, greater consistency was present with LH versus RH (right hemisphere) arousal.…”

“…Empirical and theoretical works suggest that a function of the LH is to make a single, consistent interpretation of the self and the world (Drake, 1988;Gazzaniga 1985Gazzaniga , 1998Gazzaniga & LeDoux, 1978;Ramachandran, 1995). Ramachandran also hypothesised that the RH monitors for anomalies or information that is inconsistent with this interpretation.…”

A neuropsychological dimension for anchoring effects

“…For example, Roger Drake has published an extensive series of studies examining how individual differences in hemispheric activation are systematically related to the consistency of beliefs and openness to persuasion (Drake, 1983(Drake, , 1988(Drake, , 1991(Drake, , 1993Drake & Bingham, 1985;Drake & Sobrero, 1987). In these studies, Drake has employed both active manipulations of hemispheric activation (e.g., via lateral orientation of attention, which results in selective activation of the contralateral hemisphere), as well as taking advantage of naturally occurring individual differences in hemispheric activation (e.g., as measured by asymmetries in line bisection performance).…”

Hemispheric interaction and consciousness: Degree of handedness predicts the intensity of a sensory illusion

“…Drake (1991) also found that when the LH was more active participants recalled more arguments that they agreed with; however, when the RH was more active participants recalled more arguments that they disagreed with. In addition, Drake (1988) had participants complete various personality tests using similar methods to activate either the left or right hemisphere. Higher correlations between the tests (i.e., greater consistency) were present under left compared to right hemispheric activation.…”