Effect of Prior Mental Activity on a Parafoveal Task

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of spatial and verbal tasks on subsequent strategies of men and women on a parafoveal task. Dextrals, 30 men and 30 women, performed a parafoveal task which had been previously demonstrated to show no visual-field advantage. Mental activity resulting from the spatial and verbal prior tasks produced a right-field (left-brain) advantage on the parafoveal task, which was significantly greater for men than for women.