Handedness and behavioural inhibition: Left-handed females show most inhibition as measured by BIS/BAS self-report

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between handedness, gender and behavioural approach and inhibition using Carver and White's (1994) BIS/BAS Scale. 112 participants took part: 46 left-handers and 66 right-handers. All participants completed Peters' (1998) handedness questionnaire followed by the self-report BIS/BAS Scale. Significant effects of both handedness and gender on the BIS scores were found, with left-handers and females scoring significantly higher on inhibition. BIS scores were reexamined to include FFFS scores, which showed a significant effect of gender. Revised BIS scores replicated the original BIS findings. These findings are discussed in relation to handedness research.

Handedness and behavioural inhibition system/behavioural activation system (BIS/BAS) scores: A replication and extension of Wright, Hardie, and Wilson (2009)

“…(2015). Handedness and behavioural inhibition system/behavioural activation system (BIS/BAS) scores: A replication and extension of Wright, Hardie, and Wilson (2009). Laterality, 20(5), pp.…”

“…This study was criticised by Hicks & Pellegrini (1978) Dillon (1989) reported a significant correlation among 34 male but not 44 female college students between scores on a questionnaire assessing students' worries and scores on a General Laterality Scale. Using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI), Merkelbach, de Ruiter and Olff (1989) compared the handedness of 77 anxiety disorder patients with handedness in a healthy control 6 group and found no evidence of a relationship between left-handedness and clinically diagnosed anxiety.In a recent study Lyle, Chapman and Hatton (2013) Previously they had found (Wright, Hardie & Wilson, 2009) that left-handers reported themselves to have higher BIS scores than right-handers on a questionnaire developed by Carver and White (1994) to measure constructs proposed by Gray's (1982) theory of two independent neural systems -the behavioural inhibition system (BIS) and the behavioural approach system (BAS). Subsequently these two systems, originally conceived of as underlying anxiety and avoidance on the one hand (BIS) and impulsivity or approach behaviour on the other (BAS), were modified and extended by the introduction of a third system representing a fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS) relating to an…”

“…Previously they had found (Wright, Hardie & Wilson, 2009) that left-handers reported themselves to have higher BIS scores than right-handers on a questionnaire developed by Carver and White (1994) to measure constructs proposed by Gray's (1982) theory of two independent neural systems -the behavioural inhibition system (BIS) and the behavioural approach system (BAS). Subsequently these two systems, originally conceived of as underlying anxiety and avoidance on the one hand (BIS) and impulsivity or approach behaviour on the other (BAS), were modified and extended by the introduction of a third system representing a fight-flight-freeze system (FFFS) relating to an individual's responses to aversive stimuli motivated by fear (Gray & MacNaughton, 2000;Corr & MacNaughton, 2008).…”

“…The finding of Wright et al (2009) that left-handers have higher BIS scores than right-handers offers a new direction for research in the field of laterality in relation to individual differences, especially as behavioural response styles have been related to functional hemispheric differences (Davidson, 1995;Rutherford & Lindell, 2011) which in turn are related to handedness (Annett, 2002;Beaton, 1985;2003;McManus, 2002). Re-considering the question of anxiety differences between left-and right-handers in terms of the reinforcement sensitivity theory of personality potentially provides a more fruitful conceptual framework than has prevailed hitherto.…”

“…In this sense, ours is a conceptual replication and the results suggest that the relationship between handedness and the BIS is not related to the specific handedness measure used. Different questionnaires were used by Wright et al (2009), Hardie and Wright (2014) and ourselves. Thus, the findings appear robust as to assessment instrument and provide a solid basis for further research.…”