Differences in academic achievement as a function of scores on hemisphericity.

Summary.-The subjects were 55 undergraduates enrolled in psychology classes and classkied by their scores on the Human Information Processing Survey as having preferences of leh hemisphericity (n = 17), right (n = 19), and integrated hemisphericity (n= 19). Differences in their scores on multiple-choice tests and course grades were found between left- and right-hemisphericity groups with the left-hemisphericity group obtaining higher course grades. There is evidence (1, 2, 5) chat hemispheric dominance is associated with cognitive style or a way of thinking, based on one's ability to use che capabilities of he left or right cerebral hemisphere. The two cerebral hemispheres differ in their modes of processing information. The left hemisphere seems to specialize in logical, active, and verbal materials. The right cerebral hemisphere processes information receptively, spatially, and intuitively. Some individuals show more use of the left-hemisphere mode, some the right, some an integrated (using left and right simultaneously) mode, and others use the mixed (either right or left) mode (2). Studies (1, 4) indicate a dfierence between indviduals preferring left and right cerebral dominance on college academic achievement. These investigators indicate that use of objective verbal forms of evaluation favors individuals with preferences for left hemisphericity in attaining higher academic achievement and suggest the use of techniques based on holistic and creative responses favors the individuals classified as showing right hemisphericity. The present study attempted to assess whether dkferences among groups showing preference for left, right, and integrated hemisphericity as modes of processing information were reflected in scores on tests and course grades. Method.-Participants were 104 volunteers enrolled in undergraduate psychology classes. Their dominant mode of processing information was inferred from their scores on the Human Information Processing Survey (3), a paper-and-pencil, self-report questionnaire of 40 (three multiple-choice) items from scores from which one can infer the hemispheric mode of subjects as left, right, integrated, or mixed. The procedure used to classify subjects by preferred strategies was done by converting the three raw scores (left, right, and integrated) on the survey to standard scores. If none of these standard scores equalled to or were greater than 120, the person was classified as having a mixed strategy (2). In this sample were 49 subjects classified as having a mixed strategy and they were deleted. Therefore, 55 students were subjects of whom 16 were men and 39 were women. Seventeen (8 men and 9 women of an average age of 25.5 yr.) were idendied as preferring the left-hemispheric mode, 19 (6 men and 13 women of an average age of 19.7 yr.) as right, and 19 (2 men and 17 women of an average age of 22.4 yr.) as preferring the integrated mode. The age range for the total group was 18 to 48 years, but most were freshmen or sophomores. The contents of the courses were presented in lectures, using extensive chapter ouhes and fllrns. Students were involved in class and small group discussions. The course grades were