Visual Processing Asymmetries in Change Detection

Change detection is critically dependent on attentional mechanisms. However, the relation between an asymmetrical distribution of visuo-spatial attention and the detection of changes in visual scenes is not clear. Spatial tasks are known to induce a stronger activation of the right hemisphere. The effects of such visual processing asymmetries induced by a spatial task on change detection were investigated. When required to detect changes in the left and in the right visual fields, participants were significantly faster in detecting changes on the left than on the right. Importantly, this left-side superiority in change detection is not influenced by inspection time, suggesting a critical role of visual processing benefit for the left visual field.