Resumen de Cerebral lateralisation in the deaf: A bilingual pattern?
This paper reviews the reported findings for patterns of cerebral dominance in the deaf and in hearing bilinguals. It argues that the conclusions drawn concerning the development of cerebral lateralisation based on studies of brain organisation in the deaf have been reached using implicit comparisons with hearing monolinguals. These comparisons have led to the hypothesis that language deprivation results in a reduction in the degree of lateralisation. However, investigations of dominance patterns in bilinguals also point to a reduced degree of lateralisation in a group which is not language deprived. Apparent similarities in cerebral organisation between the deaf and bilinguals are indicated, and the argument presented that the deaf should be considered as a form of bilingual group, on account of their exposure to, and use of, two languages — sign language and vocal‐aural language. Acceptance of this argument implies that any conclusions concerning the development of cerebral dominance based on studies of the deaf should be made with reference to the appropriate comparison group — i.e. bilinguals. Previous investigations of cerebral lateralisation in the deaf have failed to make this comparison, and so their conclusions should be treated with caution.
