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Differences Between Deaf and Hearing Adults in Task‐Related EEG Asymmetries
Author(s) -
Suter Steve
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1982.tb02533.x
Subject(s) - lateralization of brain function , psychology , audiology , american sign language , sign language , electroencephalography , interpreter , comprehension , laterality , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , linguistics , neuroscience , medicine , philosophy , computer science , programming language
Studies of the pre‐lingually deaf may help clarify the role of language experience in the development of cerebral lateralization. Bilateral EEG alpha (α) was recorded for three groups: Deaf, normal‐hearing Controls, and Interpreters for the deaf, during five tasks. The tasks were: 1) Baseline (eyes open); 2) Letter Writing; 3) Oral Story, a story presented orally to every participant; 4) Signed Story, a story presented to every participant in American Sign Language (AMSLAN) by an interpreter; and 5) Block Design. Consistent with earlier studies, both of the hearing groups showed relatively greater cortical activation of the left hemisphere as compared to the right hemisphere during Letter Writing as compared to Block Design. For the Interpreters, but not for the Controls, there was relatively greater left‐hemisphere activation during the Signed Story as compared to Baseline, indicating left hemisphere involvement in comprehension of a gestural language. There were no task‐related EEG asymmetries for the Deaf, suggesting that auditory language experience contributes to, and is necessary for, full development of cerebral lateralization.