Jones, G. V. (Gregory V.) and Martin, Maryanne (2008) Seasonal anisotropy in handedness. Cortex, Vol.44 (No.1). pp. 8-12. ISSN 0010-9452

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Abstract

The preference for using either the left or the right hand has been linked to important human characteristics such as language lateralisation within the cerebral hemispheres, and evidence has been reported that the proportions of different types of handedness may be influenced by factors such as levels of maternal hormones and anxiety. Under such influences, it is possible in principle that distributions of handedness provide evidence of seasonal anisotropy, that is, variation in the direction of handedness for births in different parts of the year. The results of a number of studies are compared here, and shown to provide evidence of a significant tendency for the incidence of left-handed people to be higher among those born in the spring and ensuing months (March-July in the northern hemisphere) than among those born in the remainder of the year, at least among the male population. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson Srl. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Journal Item
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology Q Science > QP Physiology R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Psychology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Left- and right-handedness, Anisotropy, Cerebral dominance, Laterality
Journal or Publication Title:	Cortex
Publisher:	Elsevier Masson Divisione Periodici
ISSN:	0010-9452
Date:	January 2008
Volume:	Vol.44
Number:	No.1
Number of Pages:	5
Page Range:	pp. 8-12
Identification Number:	10.1016/j.cortex.2006.05.001
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/30382

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