Schizotypy and the shift from dextrality: a study of handedness in a large non-clinical sample

Numerous previous studies have reported associations between schizophrenia/schizotypy and atypical handedness. While there is broad agreement that schizophrenia/schizotypy is associated with a shift away from typical (strong right) handedness, it is not entirely clear what aspect of atypical handedn...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Schizophrenia research 2001-07, Vol.50 (3), p.181-189
Main Authors: Shaw, J, Claridge, G, Clark, Ken
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Functional Laterality
Handedness
Humans
Laterality
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Personality disorders
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychoses
Schizophrenia
Schizotypal Personality Disorder - diagnosis
Schizotypal Personality Disorder - epidemiology
Schizotypy
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Summary:Numerous previous studies have reported associations between schizophrenia/schizotypy and atypical handedness. While there is broad agreement that schizophrenia/schizotypy is associated with a shift away from typical (strong right) handedness, it is not entirely clear what aspect of atypical handedness is implicated: ‘ambiguous’ handedness (the absence of hand preference for given actions) or ‘mixed handedness’ (different hand preferences for different actions). The present study used several indices of handedness (derived from the Annett scale) to address these questions in 3000+ (mostly) University student subjects recruited by electronic mail. It was found that positive schizotypy (indexed by a scale of ‘unusual experiences’) was associated with both aspects of atypical handedness. These findings are discussed in the light of various possible explanations of the association between handedness and schizophrenia/schizotypy.
ISSN:0920-9964
1573-2509
DOI:10.1016/S0920-9964(00)00167-5