Hemispheric specialization for speech opposed, by contralateral noise

Abstract

Twenty right-handed Ss listened to a dichotic tape in which one of six consonant-vowel syllables was paired with a burst of white noise on each trial. Eight blocks of 40 trials were presented, with the syllables within a block presented to, the same ear. On each trial, Ss decided if/ ba/ was presented. Mean RT to right-ear items was 440.0 msec, while mean left-ear RT was 453.6 msec. Responses indicating the presence of /ba/ were made significantly more quickly than responses indicating its absence, with no significant interaction of ear and type of decision. This study demonstrated a right-ear advantage in the perception of spoken syllables when noise is presented to the opposite ear. An interpretation of the RT differences between ears in terms of callosal transmission time is discussed, and implications of this study for the perceptual origins of the ear advantage effect are considered. © 1973 Psychonomic Society, Inc.