On the hemispheric specialization for categorical and coordinate spatial relations: a review of the current evidence. Jager, G. & Postma, A. Neuropsychologia, 41(4):504-15, 2003.
abstract   bibtex   
This article reviews current evidence on the hemispheric specialization hypothesis for two types of spatial relations representations; categorical versus coordinate [Psychol. Rev. 94 (1987) 148; J. Exp. Psychol.: Percept. Perform. 15 (1989) 723]. Categorical representations capture general properties of the spatial structure of a visual stimulus, without defining the exact metric properties. Coordinate representations specify precise spatial locations of objects or parts in terms of metric units. It is claimed that a hemispheric difference in contribution to the computation of both types of spatial relations representations exists, in which the left hemisphere is specialized for the computation of categorical spatial representations while the right hemisphere is specialized for the computation of coordinate ones. Several forms of research (experimental, computer simulations, patient studies and neuroimaging studies) are reviewed. In general, there is convergent evidence for a conceptual separation of coordinate and categorical processing, with strongest indications for a relative right hemisphere advantage in encoding coordinate spatial relations, and weaker support for left hemispheric categorical specialization. The pattern appears to be critically linked to receptive field properties of the two hemispheres and as such is modulated by certain elementary visual characteristics of the displayed stimuli.
@Article{Jager2003,
  author   = {Gerry Jager and Albert Postma},
  journal  = {Neuropsychologia},
  title    = {On the hemispheric specialization for categorical and coordinate spatial relations: a review of the current evidence.},
  year     = {2003},
  number   = {4},
  pages    = {504-15},
  volume   = {41},
  abstract = {This article reviews current evidence on the hemispheric specialization
	hypothesis for two types of spatial relations representations; categorical
	versus coordinate [Psychol. Rev. 94 (1987) 148; J. Exp. Psychol.:
	Percept. Perform. 15 (1989) 723]. Categorical representations capture
	general properties of the spatial structure of a visual stimulus,
	without defining the exact metric properties. Coordinate representations
	specify precise spatial locations of objects or parts in terms of
	metric units. It is claimed that a hemispheric difference in contribution
	to the computation of both types of spatial relations representations
	exists, in which the left hemisphere is specialized for the computation
	of categorical spatial representations while the right hemisphere
	is specialized for the computation of coordinate ones. Several forms
	of research (experimental, computer simulations, patient studies
	and neuroimaging studies) are reviewed. In general, there is convergent
	evidence for a conceptual separation of coordinate and categorical
	processing, with strongest indications for a relative right hemisphere
	advantage in encoding coordinate spatial relations, and weaker support
	for left hemispheric categorical specialization. The pattern appears
	to be critically linked to receptive field properties of the two
	hemispheres and as such is modulated by certain elementary visual
	characteristics of the displayed stimuli.},
  keywords = {Brain Diseases, Cerebral, Cerebral Cortex, Dominance, Feedback, Female, Functional Laterality, Humans, Male, Nerve Net, Orientation, Pattern Recognition, Practice (Psychology), Psychological, Sex Factors, Space Perception, Visual, 12559166},
}

Downloads: 0