Mathematical ability and the right-shift theory of handedness.
A genetic theory of handedness, the right-shift theory, associates differential patterns of cerebral functioning with contrasting handedness groups and suggests that individuals with an rs + + genotype will be disadvantaged in mathematical performance. This hypothesis is investigated with contrasting handedness groups drawn from a national sample of over 11,000 children from the National Child Development Study. Some differentiation in cognitive performance between handedness groups is found in the direction predicted by the right-shift theory but the level of the findings is not statistically significant. The rs+ +/mathematical deficit hypothesis is not confirmed.
Whittington
J E
JE
MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge, U.K.
Richards
P N
PN
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001076:Aptitude; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D006113:United Kingdom