Laterality最新文献

ABSTRACTIn several species, lateral position preferences have been observed in pair mates, mother-infant dyads, and during agonistic interactions. This research examined side preferences in human dyads in an observational study and survey. We observed 1236 male-female pairs walking in the UK and found a bias for males to walk on the right side of the pair, which did not depend on hand-holding, or walking during daylight or darkness. The survey measured side preferences in 798 participants (398 left-handed, 411 right-handed), from the UK (402) and USA (396). Participants chose a side to walk when walking with their partner, or alone, in various threatening/non-threatening scenes. Threat did not influence preference in walking couples, but males, when passing a threatening stranger, preferred the best combat side for their handedness. Country and handedness also influenced preferences. Left-handers preferred the left side and right-handers preferred the right side, and USA participants exhibited a more rightward preference than UK participants. The pattern of preference for each country was equivalent, showing independent influences of handedness and cultural learning. Overall, the results suggest that males and females prefer the side that allows their dominant hand to be on the outside of the dyad.

Pedophilic disorder has been linked to neurodevelopmental differences in diagnosed individuals. One common biomarker for atypical neurodevelopment are elevated levels of atypical handedness as individuals with several neurodevelopmental disorders show increased levels of left-, mixed-, or non-right-hand preference. A few primary studies have indicated that atypical handedness could also be more prevalent in pedophilia and child sexual offenders. However, individual studies are prone to sampling biases. A comprehensive synthesis of the literature on this topic is still missing. In this pre-registered study, we performed a meta-analysis on k = 14 studies that were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (until January 2025). These 14 studies measured hand preference in n = 1245 individuals with pedophilia and child sexual offenders and n = 5703 controls. We found evidence against higher rates of atypical handedness irrespective of handedness classification using random-effects frequentist and robust Bayesian meta-analyses. There was no evidence of heterogeneity nor small-study or publication bias across analyses. These results suggest that atypical handedness is not suited to serve as a biomarker for pedophilia.

This study compares results from three dichotic listening experiments involving different methods of attention control. In each experiment, participants completed a dichotic listening task requiring two responses to syllables and we noted the order of report for the responses. In Experiment 1, participants reported from a specific ear first in trial blocks. In Experiment 2, an arrow cue indicated the ear of first report. In Experiment 3, a tone was presented to the ear of first report. Free recall in which participants reported the two syllables in any order was also included as a baseline. Results indicated a tendency to report from the right ear first in free recall, producing more reports from that ear, reflecting a right ear advantage (REA). In all cueing conditions, an overall REA emerged but it shifted to a left ear advantage (LEA: more reports from the left ear) when the left ear was cued. Additionally, larger laterality scores ([Right - Left]/[Right + Left]) for the conditions where the right ear was cued, relative to where the left ear was cued, suggests that attention control is limited in overriding the structural auditory asymmetries. We discuss the implications of these results for models of dichotic listening.

While discrimination based on race, gender, and other factors is well-documented, the discrimination faced by left-handed individuals is often overlooked. To address this gap, a study developed the Perceived Handism Discrimination Scale (PHDS) to assess how left-handed people perceive discrimination related to their hand preference. The original questionnaire consisted of 20 items using a 7-point Likert scale and was evaluated by experts using Lawshe's methodology. After refinement, the scale was reduced to 12 items, and further analysis through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with two separate samples (n=200 each) led to a final scale of 10 items clustered around two significant factors: cultural and individual dimensions of perceived handism discrimination. The PHDS demonstrated good psychometric properties, including reliability and statistical significance in factor analyses. However, the fit of the assumptions underlying EFA and CFA was not ideal, suggesting that further refinement is needed. Despite this, the PHDS represents a valuable tool for identifying perceived handism discrimination, ultimately aiming to inform policies that mitigate its effects in society.

Personality traits are linked to a variety of cognitive and socio-emotional factors, including lateralization patterns. Autism, prosopagnosia, and atypical cradling have been associated with altered lateralization and socio-emotional processing. This study explores how autism traits, cradling-side preferences, and face recognition abilities relate to individual personality differences. Three-hundred neurotypical adults (150 males) completed an online survey including the imaged cradling preference and three validated questionnaires: the Autism spectrum Quotient (AQ), Prosopagnosia Index-20 (PI-20), and the Big Five Personality Questionnaire (BFQ). Results showed a strong left-cradling bias (LCB) unaffected by sex, handedness, parental status, autism traits, or face recognition abilities. AQ negatively predicted Extraversion, Agreeableness, Emotional Stability, and Openness. LCB correlated with higher Agreeableness and moderated the negative association between AQ and Extraversion. These findings suggest a potential link between cradling preferences, autism traits, and personality, possibly reflecting reduced right-hemisphere specialization in emotional processing and social behaviour.

An analysis of the handedness of the four members of the British rock band The Beatles is presented. Implications for the roles of the left and right hands in the playing of different musical instruments, for the roles of the left versus right hemispheres in song writing, and for the Beatle's legacy in popular culture are discussed.

The overrepresentation of left-handers among professional Western artists has been attributed to the lateralization of the human brain, suggesting that left-handed individuals are more creative and more likely to become artists. We aimed to test this notion among a non-industrialized population. We conducted a study in the Asmat region of Papua, renowned for their abundance of wood carving artists. The participants (N = 231), of which 42% were professional artists, took part in creativity and hand skill asymmetry testing. Our study revealed a lower proportion of right-handers in these populations. Although artists demonstrated higher levels of creativity and more dexterity in both hands, we found no evidence to support the notion that left-hand skill asymmetry is associated with creativity or becoming an artist. The results of our study challenge the notion that left-handed people are more likely to become artists and that they are more creative. It could be that this effect is specific to Western populations.

This study explores the influence of respiratory phases on visuo-spatial attention during neuropsychological assessments with healthy adults. In Experiment 1, participants performed line bisection at peak inhalation vs. peak exhalation. Experiments 2 and 3 studied the landmark task, where participants determined which side of a pre-bisected line was shorter, again correlated with the respiratory phase. Experiment 1 revealed leftward bias during inhalation and rightward bias during exhalation. Experiments 2 and 3 confirmed these results in the landmark task. These findings suggest that respiration-related signals modulate the allocation of visuo-spatial attention.