Functional Hemispheric Asymmetry and Psychological Differentiation

Abstract

A differentiation model is proposed in which a relationship between neuropsychological (perceptual) differentiation on the one hand, and psychological (personality) differentiation on the other hand is hypothesized. An empirical investigation of the basic hypothesis is reported. The fit of the global model to empirical data is evaluated with the aid of the RAMONA program for path analysis with latent variables. In the advanced model differentiation is assumed to be a formal property of an organismic system. Neuropsychological differentiation is conceptualized in terms of the extent of functional hemispheric asymmetry (FHA), and operationalized in the auditory and visual modalities with the aid of the dichotic stimulation technique (DST) and the divided visual field technique (DVFT). Psychological differentiation is conceptualized in terms of the degree of healthy, optimal personality functioning (OPF), and is operationalized with indices of communicative competency, degree of self-actualization and of personal autonomy. A significant relationship between FHA and OPF was found. This indicates a correspondence between the degree of differentiation in diverse domains of functioning (perceptual and personality-wise), in healthy, normal subjects. In this study phenomena described in different specialization areas of psychology (neuropsychology and personology) are linked in a shall bridge theory for which empirical support has been found. This is a modest step towards interdisciplinary understanding.