Factor analysis of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory: Inconsistent handedness yields a two-factor solution

While neuropsychology has long focused on direction (left versus right) of handedness, a growing body of evidence indicates that degree (inconsistent versus consistent) of handedness is at least as important. A promising feature of this new emphasis on degree of handedness is its greater concordance with extant genetic models of handedness, which posit a continuum from inconsistent-handedness to consistent right-handedness, not a continuum from left- to right-handedness. Specifically, departures away from consistent-right-handedness are thought to reflect the action of a neutral genetic factor that leaves handedness up to random environmental influences. To test whether handedness in inconsistent-handers reflects the presence of multiple factors (compared to the presence of a single factor only in consistent-right-handers), factor analyses of handedness inventory scores were conducted on data from 987 right-handers, divided into consistent- versus inconsistent-handers. Consistent with predictions, analyses of inconsistent- versus consistent-handers yielded two versus one factor solutions, respectively. Results are discussed in terms of their potential implications for genetic models of handedness and for researchers interested in consistency of handedness as a neuropsychological variable.