The cerebral hemispheres cooperate to perform complex but not simple tasks

Author(s): Banich, M. T.

Journal/Book: Neuropsychology. 2000; 14: 750 First St NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, USA. Amer Psychological Assoc. 41-59.

Abstract: Three experiments were designed to examine whether task complexity determines the degree to which a division of processing across the hemispheres (i.e., across-hemisphere processing) underlies performance when within- and across-hemisphere processing are equally possible. When task complexity was relatively low, performance in a midline condition that allowed for either within- or across-hemispheric processing resembled within-hemisphere performance (Experiments 1 and 2). However, when task complexity was high, performance in a midline condition (Experiments 1 and 2) and a lateralized condition, which also allowed for either within- or across-hemisphere processing (Experiment 3), resembled across-hemisphere performance. Results complement and extend prior work (e.g., M. T. Banich & A. Belger, 1990) by indicating that the degree to which interhemispheric cooperation underlies performance changes with the complexity of the task being performed. This finding suggests that the hemispheres dynamically couple or uncouple their processing as a function of task complexity.

Note: Article Weissman DH, Duke Univ, Ctr Cognit Neurosci, LSRC Bldg, Durham,NC 27708 USA

Keyword(s): INTERHEMISPHERIC INTERACTION; SPECIALIZATION; INFORMATION; GENERATION; ATTENTION; IMPROVES; BRAIN

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