Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1976,42,865-866.
@ Perceptual and Motor Skills 1976
LATERAL EYE-SHIFT RELATED TO PRESCHOOLERS' USE OF DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE NANCY SCHROEDER' University of Maryland Summcr~y.-Lateral eye-shift in preschool children was related to the use of more nouns in description by 14 right-shifters, more adjectives by 19 leftshifters. Results suggest that differences in hemispheric activicy may lead to differential language use.
Day (1964) noted that people tend to shift their eyes consistently to the right or left when pondering the answer to a reflective question. Bakan (1969) suggested that this phenomenon was related to the functional organization of the brain. This observation has been supported by studies by Weiten and Etaugh (1973) and Gus (1975). Day (1970) further suggested that rightand left-shifters differed in personality characteristics. Right-shifters were characterized as more externally oriented, assertive, and objective; left-shifters, as more internally oriented, passive, and subjective. A study by Etaugh ( 1972 ) failed to support this observation. Day felt that these personality differences were manifested in the use of more nouns and verbs in description by rightshifters, more adjectives by left-shifters. The purpose of this research was to determine whether preschool children would exhibit this dichotomy in describing objects. A sample of preschoolers (24 girls, 21 boys), ranging in age from 4 to 6.3 yr., were rated on lateral eye-shift, language use, and eye and hand dominance. The author, experienced in rating eye-movement, rated all subjects, since interrater agreement on this task has been shown to be high (Weiten & Etaugh, 1974). The examiner was seated directly in front of the subject. Questions such as, "What is your favorite kind of ice cream?," were used to appeal to this age group. Subjects were classified on the basis of 70% of their eye-movements in the same direction as 14 right-shifters and 19 left-shifters. Twelve inconsistent shifters were dropped from the study. Valid eye-movements were found on 87.7% of the trials; invalid and non-movements were treated as one category and occurred on 12.2% of the trials. Eye dominance was determined by giving the subject three trials to find the examiner by sighting through a cardboard tube. Fourteen subjects were right-eye dominant; 19, left-eye dominant. Hand dominance was determined by giving the child 3 chances to toss a bean bag into a box. Thirty-one subjects were predominantly right-handed; 2 lefthanded. Language use was determined by having the child put his hand (right, 'The author would like to thank Dr. Robert Huebner for his help in preparing the Master's thesis from which chis report is taken.
866
N. SCHROEDER
left or both were used sequentially) into a "feelie box" as described by Day (1970), placing an object in his hand and saying "Tell me about it." Subjects were also asked to tell about one object they could see but not touch. In all, four objects were used. Responses were tape recorded then rated by the author. All responses were very simple, either nouns (It's a screw) or adjectives (It feels bumpy). Introductory words were discounted. A significant association was found between the lateral eye-shift and = 15.29, df = 1, p < .01). Right-shifters used more language use nouns in description; left-shifters, more adjectives. N o relationship was found between the lateral eye-shift and eye dominance ( x 2 = 5 7 , df = 1, p > .05) or hand dominance ( x 2 z .26, df = 1, p > .05). NO relationship was found between eye-shifc and sex ( x 3 = .GI, df = 1, P > .05) or between sex and language use ( x 2 = .15, df = 1, p > .05). Such results support Day's observation that the use of descriptive language is related to the lateral eye-shift, at least in young children. This suggests that differences in language use between right- and left-shifters may be related to hemispheric activity. This hypothesis should be examined more fully in relation to older subjects to determine whether the observed differences are an artifact of the children's age.
(x2
REFERENCES
BAKAN,P. Hypnotizability, laterality of eye-movements and functional brain asymmetry. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1969, 28, 927-932.
DAY,M. An eye movement phenomenon relating to attention, thought and anxiety. Percepsual and Motor Skills, 1964. 19, 443-446.
DAY,M. Don't teach 'till you see the direction of their eye movements. Journal o f Specid Education, 1970, 4 , 233-239. ETAUGH, C Personality correlates of lateral eye-movement and handedness. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1972, 34, 751-754. GUR,R. Conjugate lateral eye-movement as an index of hemispheric activation. Jotrrnal o f Personality and Social Psychology, 1975, 31, 751-757. WEITEN,W., & ETAUGH, C Lateral eye-movement as related to verbal and perceptualmotor skills and values. Perceptual and Motor S ~ I I I J 1973, , 36, 423-428. WEITEN,W., & ETAUGH, C Lateral eye-movement as a function of cognitive mode, question sequence, and sex of subject. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1974, 38, 439-444. Accepted March 15, 1976.
@ Perceptual and Motor Skills 1976
LATERAL EYE-SHIFT RELATED TO PRESCHOOLERS' USE OF DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE NANCY SCHROEDER' University of Maryland Summcr~y.-Lateral eye-shift in preschool children was related to the use of more nouns in description by 14 right-shifters, more adjectives by 19 leftshifters. Results suggest that differences in hemispheric activicy may lead to differential language use.
Day (1964) noted that people tend to shift their eyes consistently to the right or left when pondering the answer to a reflective question. Bakan (1969) suggested that this phenomenon was related to the functional organization of the brain. This observation has been supported by studies by Weiten and Etaugh (1973) and Gus (1975). Day (1970) further suggested that rightand left-shifters differed in personality characteristics. Right-shifters were characterized as more externally oriented, assertive, and objective; left-shifters, as more internally oriented, passive, and subjective. A study by Etaugh ( 1972 ) failed to support this observation. Day felt that these personality differences were manifested in the use of more nouns and verbs in description by rightshifters, more adjectives by left-shifters. The purpose of this research was to determine whether preschool children would exhibit this dichotomy in describing objects. A sample of preschoolers (24 girls, 21 boys), ranging in age from 4 to 6.3 yr., were rated on lateral eye-shift, language use, and eye and hand dominance. The author, experienced in rating eye-movement, rated all subjects, since interrater agreement on this task has been shown to be high (Weiten & Etaugh, 1974). The examiner was seated directly in front of the subject. Questions such as, "What is your favorite kind of ice cream?," were used to appeal to this age group. Subjects were classified on the basis of 70% of their eye-movements in the same direction as 14 right-shifters and 19 left-shifters. Twelve inconsistent shifters were dropped from the study. Valid eye-movements were found on 87.7% of the trials; invalid and non-movements were treated as one category and occurred on 12.2% of the trials. Eye dominance was determined by giving the subject three trials to find the examiner by sighting through a cardboard tube. Fourteen subjects were right-eye dominant; 19, left-eye dominant. Hand dominance was determined by giving the child 3 chances to toss a bean bag into a box. Thirty-one subjects were predominantly right-handed; 2 lefthanded. Language use was determined by having the child put his hand (right, 'The author would like to thank Dr. Robert Huebner for his help in preparing the Master's thesis from which chis report is taken.
866
N. SCHROEDER
left or both were used sequentially) into a "feelie box" as described by Day (1970), placing an object in his hand and saying "Tell me about it." Subjects were also asked to tell about one object they could see but not touch. In all, four objects were used. Responses were tape recorded then rated by the author. All responses were very simple, either nouns (It's a screw) or adjectives (It feels bumpy). Introductory words were discounted. A significant association was found between the lateral eye-shift and = 15.29, df = 1, p < .01). Right-shifters used more language use nouns in description; left-shifters, more adjectives. N o relationship was found between the lateral eye-shift and eye dominance ( x 2 = 5 7 , df = 1, p > .05) or hand dominance ( x 2 z .26, df = 1, p > .05). NO relationship was found between eye-shifc and sex ( x 3 = .GI, df = 1, P > .05) or between sex and language use ( x 2 = .15, df = 1, p > .05). Such results support Day's observation that the use of descriptive language is related to the lateral eye-shift, at least in young children. This suggests that differences in language use between right- and left-shifters may be related to hemispheric activity. This hypothesis should be examined more fully in relation to older subjects to determine whether the observed differences are an artifact of the children's age.
(x2
REFERENCES
BAKAN,P. Hypnotizability, laterality of eye-movements and functional brain asymmetry. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1969, 28, 927-932.
DAY,M. An eye movement phenomenon relating to attention, thought and anxiety. Percepsual and Motor Skills, 1964. 19, 443-446.
DAY,M. Don't teach 'till you see the direction of their eye movements. Journal o f Specid Education, 1970, 4 , 233-239. ETAUGH, C Personality correlates of lateral eye-movement and handedness. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1972, 34, 751-754. GUR,R. Conjugate lateral eye-movement as an index of hemispheric activation. Jotrrnal o f Personality and Social Psychology, 1975, 31, 751-757. WEITEN,W., & ETAUGH, C Lateral eye-movement as related to verbal and perceptualmotor skills and values. Perceptual and Motor S ~ I I I J 1973, , 36, 423-428. WEITEN,W., & ETAUGH, C Lateral eye-movement as a function of cognitive mode, question sequence, and sex of subject. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1974, 38, 439-444. Accepted March 15, 1976.
