ERIC Number: EJ884809
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-May
Pages: 4
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-2909
EISSN: N/A
Sex Differences in Left-Handedness Are Also Evident in Scandinavia and in Twins: Comment on Papadatou-Pastou, Martin, Munafo, and Jones (2008)
Vuoksimaa, Eero; Kaprio, Jaakko
Psychological Bulletin, v136 n3 p344-347 May 2010
The lack of sex difference in left-handedness in Scandinavian countries reported by Papadatou-Pastou, Martin, Munafo, and Jones (2008) is questioned. We investigated the sex difference in left-handedness in two Finnish, one Norwegian, and one Swedish population-based sample not included in the Papadatou-Pastou et al. (2008) meta-analysis. The male-to-female odds ratio across these samples was 1.34 (95% confidence interval = 1.18, 1.51), indicating that the sex difference in left-handedness also exists in Scandinavian countries. Studies show that a similar sex difference in left-handedness is evident in twins as well. Overall, we challenge the contentions of Papadatou-Pastou et al. (a) that a lack of sex differences in left-handedness actually exists in Scandinavia or (b) that any such lack of differences could relate to extremely low levels of cultural masculinity in Scandinavian societies. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Handedness, Twins, Foreign Countries, Gender Differences, Masculinity, Late Adolescents, Young Adults, Adults, Older Adults, Cultural Influences, Cross Cultural Studies, Genetics, Biological Influences
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Finland; Norway; Sweden
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A