Individual Paper(s)
Is There Link Between Handedness Strength and Intelligence?
Elizabeth Grace Pond
University of Abertay
Objectives: Handedness had previously been linked to behavioural traits and skills such as problem solving. Handedness strength was thought to be a variable when looking at handedness and intelligence. Research showed a possible link between handedness strength and inter-hemispheric connectivity. Inter-hemispheric connectivity is thought to be related to the size of the corpus callosum. Throughout evolution, in humans, head circumference has increased as has intelligence, therefore a possible link between handedness strength and intelligence was developed. The objectives were to investigate the relationship between handedness, handedness strength intelligence and gender.
Design: The design was a between subjects design, with predictor variables of handedness, handedness strength and gender, non-verbal IQ scores were measured. The sample 110 undergraduate, males and females from Abertay University comprised the sample size.
Method: The materials were the Peter’s(1998) Handedness Questionnaire and Cattell’s Culture Fair IQ test.
Results/ Conclusion: In conclusion, there were no significant relationship between handedness or handedness strength and non-verbal IQ test scores. There was no significant correlation relationship between gender and non-verbal IQ scores. The results did not provide evidence for a link between handedness strength and intelligence at least in women. Given the large sample of females in this study, this may give reason to believe that there is no such link in females. The study does suggest further research is required to completely rule out a link between handedness strength and intelligence in males.
