Handedness and sex roles: Mixed-handers are less sex-congruent stereotyped

Abstract

Previous research reported that non-right-handers display a less sex-congruent stereotyped sex-role identity (i.e., women portray themselves as more masculine, men as more feminine) than right-handers. However, classification of handedness was based on arbitrary criteria and did not distinguish between left-handedness and mixed-handedness among non-right-handers. We present data from two large and independent middle-European samples, a discovery (n=7658) and a replication (n=5062) sample. Using latent class analysis for handedness classification, it is shown that mixed-handedness, rather than left-handedness, is the driving factor underlying associations between handedness and sex-role identity. We discuss our findings with regard to the Geschwind–Galaburda theory of cerebral lateralization and the need to evaluate the contribution of sexual orientation on this association in future research.