ERIC Number: EJ965216
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Jan
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0278-7393
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Consistency of Handedness, Regardless of Direction, Predicts Baseline Memory Accuracy and Potential for Memory Enhancement
Lyle, Keith B.; Hanaver-Torrez, Shelley D.; Hacklander, Ryan P.; Edlin, James M.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, v38 n1 p187-193 Jan 2012
Research has shown that consistently right-handed individuals have poorer memory than do inconsistently right- or left-handed individuals under baseline conditions but more reliably exhibit enhanced memory retrieval after making a series of saccadic eye movements. From this it could be that consistent versus inconsistent handedness, regardless of left/right direction, is an important individual difference factor in memory. Or, more specifically, it could be the presence or absence of consistent right-handedness that matters for memory. To resolve this ambiguity, we compared consistent and inconsistent left- and right-handers on associative recognition tests taken after saccades or a no-saccades control activity. Consistent-handers exhibited poorer memory than did inconsistent-handers following the control activity, and saccades enhanced retrieval for consistent-handers only. Saccades impaired retrieval for inconsistent-handers. None of these effects depended on left/right direction. Hence, this study establishes handedness consistency, regardless of direction, as an important individual difference factor in memory. (Contains 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Handedness, Eye Movements, Figurative Language, Individual Differences, Memory, Prediction, Comparative Analysis, Recognition (Psychology), Research, Measures (Individuals), Experiments, Experimental Psychology, Higher Education
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Kentucky
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A