Hand preference, magical thinking and left–right confusion

Abstract

Several reports suggest a significant correlation between hand preference quotients and Magical Ideation Scale (MIS) scores, such that individuals with mixed prefer ences have higher MIS scores. In a sample of 156 male and 257 female undergraduate university students no significant correlation was found between MIS scores and hand preference; hand preference being defined in numerous ways, and using short and long hand preference questionnaires to assess handedness. An index of left–right confusion was significantly related to MIS score, but only in females. We suggest that the role of subjects' response style and general approach to filling out questionnaires should be fully explored before “neurological” causes of links between hand preference and other questionnaire‐assessed behavioural variables are invoked.