The distribution of hand preference is discrete : a taxometric examination

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

[Truncated abstract] The dominant genetic models of human handedness (Annett, 1985; McManus, 1985a) have contrasting views on its nature. Whereas Annett's model proposes that handedness is distributed continuously (following the distribution of performance asymmetries of the hands), McManus's model proposes that handedness is distributed dichotomously. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of the underlying distribution. The taxonomy of hand preference was analysed by two independent taxometric procedures, 'mean-above-mean-below-a-cut' and 'maximum-eigenvalue', separately in two geographically, demographically, and culturally distinct samples; one of Australian adults (N = 787), and the other of Serbian high school students (N = 1, 224). The analyses revealed a latent categorical structure in both samples, with estimated mean base-rates of a right-handed taxon of 0.80 and 0.94 from the two analyses of the adult sample and of 0.79 and 0.93 from the two analyses of the high school sample. Subsequent analyses showed that the initial right-handed class could be subdivided into consistent and inconsistent right-handed subclasses in both samples...
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)445-459
JournalBritish Journal of Psychology
Volume99
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The distribution of hand preference is discrete : a taxometric examination'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this