Handedness and mathematical ability
Researchers have suggested a link between handedness and ability with mathematics. This link has been proposed by Geschwind, Galaburda, Annett, and Kilshaw. The suggested link is that a brain without extreme bias towards locating language in the left hemisphere would have an advantage in mathematical ability.[1]
Body of research
Douglas study
A 1967 study by Douglas found no evidence to correlate mathematical ability with
Jones and Bell study
A 1980 study by Jones and Bell also obtained negative results. This study compared the handedness of a group of engineering students with strong mathematics skills against the handedness of a group of psychology students (of varying mathematics skills). In both cases, the distribution of handedness resembled that of the general population.[1]
Annett and Kilshaw study
Annett and Kilshaw themselves support their hypothesis with several examples, including a handedness questionnaire given to undergraduates. Annett observes that studies that depend from voluntary returns of a handedness questionnaire are going to be biased towards left-handedness, and notes that this was a weakness of the study. However, the results were that there were significantly more left-handers amongst male mathematics undergraduates than male non-mathematics undergraduates (21% versus 11%) and significantly more non-right-handers (44% versus 24%), and that there was a similar but smaller left-handedness difference for female undergraduates (11% versus 8%). Annett reports the results of this study as being consistent with the hypothesis, for explaining the cause of handedness, of an absent genetic right-shift factor.[1][2]
Other examples used by Annett include a study that observed the hand use of teachers of mathematics and other sciences from various universities and polytechnics, as they underwent a personal interview, compared to a
Benbow study
A study by C. P. Benbow did not work to prove the mathematical abilities of study participants who are left-hand dominant but to prove the weakness in those who are right-hand dominant. Using a series of questions that relate left-handedness and mathematical giftedness, Benbow was able to base their team's conclusion off of a series of questions that associated hand dominance and mathematical ability. [3]
Ongoing debate
As a controversial subject, the debate over the link between handedness and mathematical abilities is ongoing. Researchers at the University of Liverpool concluded that there is a moderate, yet significant correlation between mathematical skills and handedness. [4]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-41195-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84169-104-6.
- S2CID 20073136.
- ^ "Study finds link between handedness and mathematical skills - News - University of Liverpool". news.liverpool.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-07.
Further reading
- Ann M. Gallagher and ISBN 978-0-521-82605-1.