Laterality and reading attainment.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Previous research suggested abnormal cerebral dominance, indicated by left-handedness or inconsistent lateral preference, may cause reading retardation.
• The relationship between lateral preference and reading attainment remains a topic of investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utility of laterality measures as predictors of reading attainment.
• To examine the correlation between left-handedness, cerebral dominance, and reading difficulties in schoolboys.

Main Methods:

• A group of schoolboys completed tests assessing lateral preference, reading ability, and spelling.
• Experimental tasks included dichotic listening and tachistoscopic recognition to evaluate cognitive processing related to laterality.

Main Results:

• No significant correlation was found between left-handedness and reading retardation.
• Right cerebral dominance and inconsistencies in lateral preference did not correlate with poorer reading attainment.

Conclusions:

• Laterality measures, including left-handedness and mixed-handedness, are not reliable predictors of reading attainment.
• The findings do not support the hypothesis that abnormal cerebral dominance is a primary cause of reading retardation.