Responding with hand and foot: The right/left prevalence in spatial compatibility is still present

Abstract

Three experiments were undertaken to determine why right/left locational cues are superior to above/below cues in spatial compatibility. In Experiment 1, subjects responded with either the right or the left hand and the locational cues available involved both the right/left and above/below dimensions. The procedure was such as to allow the locational cues to vary independently and orthogonally. The results showed reliable compatibility effects in both dimensions, but the effect in the right/left dimension was stronger. Experiment 2, in which only above/below cues were present and the subjects responded with either hand or foot, showed a clear-cut above/below compatibility effect. Experiment 3 replicated Experiment 1, except that the hand and foot were used for responding. The results showed a spatial compatibility effect for the right/left dimension and no effect for the above/below dimension. The findings are discussed with reference to the explanations put forward to account for the prevalence of the right/left dimension in spatial compatibility. A tentative explanation is proposed in terms of a propensity to allocate attention to right/left locational cues at the expense of above/below cues. © 1985 Psychonomic Society, Inc.