Gödel, Escher, and degree of handedness: Differences in interhemispheric interaction predict differences in understanding self‐reference

Abstract

Ramachandran (1995) theorised that the left hemisphere (LH) is specialised for making a single and consistent interpretation of the self and the world, whereas the right hemisphere (RH) is responsible for monitoring anomalies in reference to these interpretations. If the anomalous information reaches a threshold, it interacts with the LH to update these interpretations or beliefs. Because mixed handers may have greater degrees of interhemispheric interaction compared to strong handers, they may have a lower threshold for updating beliefs. Two previous studies found this to be the case (Niebauer, Aselage, & Schutte, 2002a; Niebauer, Christman, & Reid, 2002b). Because monitoring one's beliefs may involve metacognitive processes, i.e., cognitions about cognitions, this model was extended to help explain individual differences in understanding self-referential concepts. In the first two studies, mixed-handed participants displayed a greater understanding of self-reference using a conceptual description of Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem. In a third study, mixed-handed participants displayed greater appreciation for self-referential works of M. C. Escher. Implications for a neuropsychological model of metacognition are discussed.

A mixed-handed advantage in episodic memory: A possible role of interhemispheric interaction

“…This framework, in essence, suggests that the mixed-handed advantage in episodic memory may reflect a more general mixed-handed advantage in metacognitive ability to access source memory (e.g., Shimamura, 2002). This idea is admittedly speculative, but it receives support from recent papers indicating a mixed-handed advantage in metacognitive processing (Niebauer, 2004;Niebauer & Garvey, 2004).…”

Handedness and the fringe of consciousness: Strong handers ruminate while mixed handers self-reflect

“…Understanding may be achieved by holding a single statement in the nucleus while related, referential cognitions are represented in summary format and experienced as the fringe. In the first two studies, Niebauer and Garvey (2004) found that mixed handers understood this conceptual description better than strong handers. This understanding may have been experienced as a sense of rightness.…”

“…Individual differences in fringe experiences may help explain the results of Niebauer and Garvey (2004). The experience of understanding Gö delÕs Incompleteness Theorem or appreciating a selfreferential picture by M.C.…”

“…In this model, cognitions that reference external objects are at the object-level, while cognitions that reference other cognitions are at the meta-level. Niebauer and Garvey (2004) suggested that the RH anomaly detector functions as a metacognitive module for the following reasons. Because an anomaly can only be defined in reference to a norm, the RH anomaly detector must have some access to the internally consistent set of beliefs in the LH.…”

“…It was assumed that this was due to greater degrees of communication between the two cerebral hemispheres in mixed handers. Niebauer and Garvey (2004) made connections between this model of updating beliefs and metacognitive processing. The current work proposes that variations in interhemispheric interaction (as measured by degree of handedness) contribute to differences in consciousness, specifically when consciousness is used in rumination versus the metacognitive task of self-reflection.…”