Braille reading and left and right hemispace

Abstract

Twelve blind adults were timed in locating phonologically and semantically defined targets in Braille lists. The “reading” hand was placed either out from or across the body, i.e. in ipsilateral or contralateral hemispace. Despite strong and consistent, if idiosyncratic, hand superiorities for all types of list, contrary to two previous reports there was no evidence of either a general left-hand preference or an overall left-hand superiority. Moreover neither the magnitude nor the direction of hand superiorities changed when hands were tested in contralateral hemispace. At least in this complex continuous task, hemisphere-hand connections appear more important than hemisphere-hemispace relationships. Left-hand (or left-hemispace) superiorities in tactual tasks of a verbal nature may only occur with novel, unfamiliar or perceptually degraded materials.