How does handedness influence the hemispheric specialization for approach motivation in individuals?5 answersHandedness influences hemispheric specialization for approach motivation in individuals. Research suggests that right-handers show increased left-hemisphere activity associated with approach motivation, while left-handers exhibit more right-hemisphere activity linked to approach motivation. This phenomenon aligns with the Sword and Shield Hypothesis, proposing that the laterality of affective motivation depends on the laterality of motor control for the dominant and non-dominant hands. Additionally, cerebral motivational asymmetries play a role in mediating the relationship between handedness and personality traits, with right-hemisphere frontal activity linked to withdrawal motivation and left/inconsistent-handedness, and left-hemisphere frontal activity associated with approach motivation and right/consistent-handedness. Therefore, handedness influences the neural mechanisms underlying approach motivation, showcasing a connection between motor control, hemispheric specialization, and affective states.
How to investigate the handedness?5 answersTo investigate handedness, researchers can utilize various methods such as self-report inventories like the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI), behavioral measures like the Rolyan 9-hole pegboard and grip strength, and genetic studies using polygenic scores (PGS) derived from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Additionally, alternative methods involve analyzing everyday movements using sensors in mobile phones, or assessing keystrokes on keyboard devices to determine hand preferences. Recent studies have also explored latent class factor models to evaluate handedness as a qualitatively scaled latent variable with ordered categories, providing a quantitative index of left-handedness based on performance in specific tasks. By combining these approaches, researchers can gain a comprehensive understanding of handedness and its underlying genetic and behavioral determinants.
Are there left and right brained people?5 answersThe concept of left-brained and right-brained people is a common neuromyth in education. While certain cognitive functions may show hemisphere dominance, individuals cannot be strictly categorized as left or right-brained. Brain lateralization, including handedness and language specialization, is not unique to humans but is present in various animals, suggesting an evolutionary basis for asymmetrical functions. Neuroimaging data indicates that brain lateralization is a local property rather than a global one, with specific regions showing left or right dominance, such as language areas in the left hemisphere and attention control regions in the right hemisphere. Therefore, while some functions may be lateralized, the idea of distinct left-brained and right-brained individuals is not supported by scientific evidence.
What is the relation between the left and right hemispheres of the brain?5 answersThe left and right hemispheres of the brain have different functions and play distinct roles in brain organization and cognitive processes. The left hemisphere is often associated with logical thinking, language, writing, reading, and mathematics. It is considered the dominant hemisphere due to its language abilities and analytical approach. On the other hand, the right hemisphere is involved in creativity, imagination, self-control, interaction, communication, and the perception of the world. It is more engaged in holistic and intuitive thinking. Both hemispheres are necessary and complementary, and a balance between their functions is important for optimal brain development and functioning. The asymmetry between the hemispheres can be altered in cognitive and psychiatric disorders, and genetic variants associated with brain asymmetry have been linked to conditions such as autism, educational attainment, and schizophrenia.
How does left-handedness affect the brain?5 answersLeft-handedness affects the brain in various ways. Studies have shown that left-handed individuals have differences in the lateralization of language areas, motor and somatosensory cortices, and functional connectivity compared to right-handed individuals. Left-handedness is associated with specific functional organization of the brain, leading to differences in mental development, perception, thinking strategies, and emotional-affective expression. Left-handers often face difficulties in mastering language skills, numeracy, mathematical operations, and visual perception, which affects their educational experience. Additionally, left-handed individuals exhibit differential hemispheric lateralization of face processing, with enhanced recruitment of the left fusiform face area compared to right-handers. Left-handedness also influences timing abilities, with left-handed individuals sub-estimating supra-second intervals. These findings highlight the neurobiological and cognitive implications of left-handedness, emphasizing the need for tailored educational approaches and understanding of individual differences in brain organization.
Do left-handed people learn language differently than right-handed people?5 answersLeft-handed people may learn language differently than right-handed people. Research has shown that left-handed individuals have weaker language lateralization on average and a greater incidence of atypical (right hemisphere) lateralization. Additionally, studies have found that left-handed individuals show weaker covariance in lateralization between language tasks, supporting a two-factor model. Furthermore, consistent right-handedness during infancy has been associated with advanced language skills at 24 months. These findings suggest that handedness may influence the way language is processed in the brain and that left-handed individuals may have unique patterns of language lateralization.