Tactual Recognition of Cognitive Stimuli: Roles of Hemisphere and Lobe

Abstract

Four groups of focal brain-damaged patients, involving left and right hemisphere damage with or without the involvement of parietal lobe, and a control group of general medical patients, were required (a) dichaptically to perceive two cognitive stimuli (letter-letter, figure-figure, or letter-figure), and (b) haptically match the target stimulus from a set of test stimuli. The number of trials taken to match the target stimulus correctly was the dependent measure. The significant main effect of lobe suggested that the parietal lobe is the primary locus for tactual recognition. All interaction effects involving lobe were nonsignificant. The main effect of hemisphere was non-significant, although the interaction of hemisphere x lobe was significant. Left and right hemisphere damaged patients required more trials to recognize “letter” and “figure”, respectively.