Handedness and psychopathy.
OBJECTIVE
The current study investigated whether psychopathic persons exhibit a pattern of motor dominance that differs from the left-hemisphere dominance that characterizes the majority of the population.


BACKGROUND
Research with cognitive tasks suggests that psychopathy may be associated with an atypical pattern of cerebral organization characterized by either left-hemisphere dysfunction or decreased hemispheric asymmetry. However, studies that evaluate motor dominance in psychopathy have provided mixed results.


METHODS
The handedness of 420 adult male inmates at a county jail was assessed using a scale developed by Chapman and Chapman as part of their participation in ongoing research.


RESULTS
Psychopaths reported reduced right-hand dominance, which cannot be accounted for by differences in age, intelligence, or race.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychopathy is associated with an increased proportion of mixed-handedness relative to that seen in nonpsychopathic persons. This finding is consistent with theory and research suggesting anomalous cerebral asymmetry in psychopathic offenders.
Mayer
A R
AR
Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, Illinois 60064, USA.
Kosson
D S
DS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D011329:Prisoners / Q000145:classification; D011581:Psychological Tests; D044469:Racial Groups; D012044:Regression Analysis