Patterns of Language and Visuospatial Lateralisation and Cognitive Ability in Young Children Aged 4-7 Years

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Patterns of Language and Visuospatial Lateralisation and Cognitive Ability in Young Children Aged 4-7 Years
Language: English
Authors: Josephine E. Quin-Conroy (ORCID 0000-0001-9961-5301), Donna M. Bayliss (ORCID 0000-0001-5940-5211), Nicholas A. Badcock (ORCID 0000-0001-6862-4694)
Source: Developmental Science. 2026 29(3).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Young Children, Cognitive Ability, Spatial Ability, Language Processing, Brain Hemisphere Functions
DOI: 10.1111/desc.70193
ISSN: 1363-755X
1467-7687
Abstract: Previous research suggests that the development of lateralisation throughout childhood might be related to individual differences in cognitive ability, but evidence from early childhood is lacking. The current study aimed to determine if there is a relationship between patterns of language and visuospatial lateralisation and cognitive ability in young children. We assessed the cerebral lateralisation of language and visuospatial processing in a large sample of 4-7-year-old children (n = 127) using functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound (fTCD). We found that being typically lateralised for language and visuospatial processing was related to better verbal comprehension ability for 4-5-year-olds. Lateralisation was not related to visuospatial ability or reading ability at any age. These findings suggest that verbal comprehension might be uniquely related to lateralisation, possibly due to its recruitment of both left and right hemispheric resources and a possible influence of mental imagery use during comprehension.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: http://osf.io/f56nw
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504486
Database: ERIC
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