SUBCORTICAL TRANSFER OF HIGHER-ORDER INFORMATION - MORE ILLUSORY THAN REAL

Picture drawing initially suggested that abstracted word information is transferred subcortically between the disconnected hemispheres of a split-brain subject (Experiment 1). In Experiment 2, conceptually ambiguous word pairs (e.g., hot-dog) were constructed, and one word (e.g., hot) was flashed to one hemisphere, and the other word (e.g., dog) was flashed to the opposite hemisphere. These word pairs could be depicted literally (e.g., a dog panting in the heat) or integrated as an emergent object (e.g., a frankfurter in a bun). Literal combinations were produced. Emergent objects were never drawn. In Experiment 3, ambiguous words pairs were directly presented to the same hemisphere. Typically, emergent objects were drawn only for left hemisphere presentations. Results indicate that each hemisphere can control the same drawing hand. The evidence for subcortical transfer of higher order information is not compelling.