EGOCENTRIC REFERENCE AND ASYMMETRIC PERCEPTION OF SPACE

Normal dextrals performed tactilo-kinesthetic bisection tasks in a median position, at three directions of gaze: 30-degrees to the left, 30-degrees to the right, 0-degrees. Instead of pseudoneglect phenomenon, a deviation of the subjective middle to the side opposite to the direction of gaze and hand use was found, whichever hand was used. The results are interpreted in terms of displacement of the position of the egocentric reference and are discussed with respect to activation theory. It is argued that pseudoneglect is part of a more general asymmetric perception of space phenomenon which depends on the position of the egocentric reference.