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Spatial ability in subgroups of left- and right-handers
1Department of Psychology, University of Leicester, UK.
British Journal of Psychology (London, England : 1953)
|November 1, 1992
Summary
Spatial ability in adolescents and undergraduates shows complex links with hand preference. The right shift theory suggests genetic factors influence spatial skills, with gene carriers potentially facing disadvantages.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Genetics
Background:
- Hand preference and spatial ability are complex traits.
- Previous research suggests potential links between these two domains.
- The right shift theory offers a genetic framework for understanding lateralization and cognitive function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between hand preference and spatial ability in adolescents and undergraduates.
- To explore sex differences in the association between hand preference and spatial ability.
- To examine the findings in the context of the right shift theory.
Main Methods:
- Administered spatial ability tests (mental paper folding, Rey figure recall) to representative samples of 14-15-year-olds and undergraduates.
- Classified participants into subgroups based on hand preference (left- and right-handers).
- Analyzed spatial ability scores in relation to varying degrees of hand preference and sex.
Main Results:
- A significant W-shaped relationship between hand preference and spatial ability was observed in adolescents and female undergraduates, with peak performance in strong left-leaning right-handers.
- Male undergraduates exhibited a linear trend, with highest spatial ability in strong left-handers.
- A decline in spatial ability correlated with increasing dextrality (right-handedness) across both left- and right-handers.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the right shift theory, suggesting that the presence of the rs+ gene (even in a single dose) may incur costs for spatial ability.
- Individuals lacking the rs+ gene (rs- - genotypes) appear to have an advantage in spatial ability.
- Sex-specific patterns in the hand preference-spatial ability relationship highlight the complexity of lateralization and its genetic underpinnings.
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