Structure of lateralization: Evidence from peripheral and central measures

Pages: 1-8
Indiwar Misra (Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Uttarakhand)
Damodar Suar (Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal)
Manas K. Mandal (Defence Institute of Psychological, Research, New Delhi)

The present study examines the structure of laterality on the basis of association observed among several central and peripheral measures. The sample comprised of 224 persons namely right- (n = 142), left- (n = 61) and mixed-handers (n =21). Three models were tested using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to see the relationship between the laterality quotients of different task asymmetries. The first model tested ‘global and local’ relationship, the second model tested the ‘global’ relationship and the third model tested the ‘local’ relationship. Results reveal that the local model has the better fit indices than the other two models and this model comprises of six factors. First factor consists of laterality quotients of preference measures of hand, foot, eye, and ear. The second factor is made of the laterality quotients of motor performances of hand and foot. The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth factors consists of the laterality quotients of verbal and non-verbal components each of dichotic listening task, dichaptic task, split visual field and lateral eye movement respectively.