Cerebral hemisphere asymmetry and individual differences in cognition

The present article examines the potential connection between hemispheric asymmetry and individual differences in cognition. Lateral differences in left- and right-hemisphere function are clearly manifest in humans and imply that differences in brain organization may be accompanied by behavioral and/or intellectual consequences. The authors identify several hemispheric dimensions on which individuals may differ (i.e., degree of dominance, direction of dominance, characteristic arousal level, complementarity of functioning), and investigate the possibility that underlying patterns of cerebral hemisphere asymmetry may be related to differences in cognitive abilities as reported for males and females, left- and right-handers, intellectually precocious and dyslexic individuals. The conclusion is made that a connection between hemispheric asymmetry and individual differences in cognition is tenable, but that further research is required before any definitive cause and effect relationships can be drawn.